My Name
by Utopia Empire
Summary: One competition. Only one competition and it changes Len, Kaho and Tsuchiura's perception as they went deeper and deeper into Tsukimori's dark, abusive past. Can both of them help him? Or will he sink lower into his misery? Friendship fic
1. Chapter 1: The Announcement

**This story is not a romance one. Sorry LenxKaho lovers, but I would really emphasize the Friendship between these Second-Year students in this story. Maybe next time, on the other stories, I would write LenxKaho.**

**If you don't like, then you can go back and forget about this story. **

**Normal disclaimer**

****Enjoy guys.****

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><p>CHAPTER 1<p>

"Hino..Hino.." Someone called while nudging her right arm.

"Mm..what?" She mumbled sleepily, already rising her head from the folds of her arms on the table.

"Hino, someone is looking for you!" Amou who was sitting at her side said.

"Who?" She swept her vision on her surroundings. She was inside a library. Some bookshelves were positioned ahead of the desk she's currently on. She wasn't a bookworm person, she was here only to find silence so she could sleep. Finally it darted on a certain blue-haired teen.

"Uh..Tsukimori-kun?"

He sighed, feeling helpless with the girl's oblivion.

"Wha-OH NO!" She jumped from her seat.

"What time's it, Amou?" She asked, already busying herself packing her things.

"Huh?" said friend glanced at her watch, "Three thirty."

"Oh NOO.."

By now she had already zipped her bag and ran towards the annoyed Tsukimori.

"Bye Amou!" Hino shouted, earning some disturbed glares from the other occupants of the room. But Hino didn't notice that.

Once they're outside, she tried to keep her pace with her companion while not bumping into the other students. Tsukimori wasn't running, but his walking pace is simply very fast.

"Ne, Tsukimori-kun, has Tsuchiura-kun there?" She tried to walk side-by-side with him and this way, he's finally slowing down.

"Yeah. But he's only drawing." He gave a brief glance to her before he set his gaze forward-again.

"Huh, Tsuchiura-kun drawing?"

###

"I think the sofa must be placed here." said Kanazawa sensei, pointing at the paper.

"Hmm..that's right. But wouldn't that make this room looks small?" The other occupant of the room retorted.

They were sitting on a chair which placed face to face and a small table was set between them. There's an upright piano not far from the pair which was closed and a music stand folded in the corner like an abandoned black metal. Silence once again filled the room. The music teacher put his hand on his chin, while the other simply lean back on his seat

Suddenly the door of the room was opened, breaking the idleness.

"Konnichiwa everyone." Hino greeted.

"Hi-Hino?"

"Now, now" the teacher said, fanning his hand to gather their attention. The girl immediately sat on the piano bench while the male newcomer simply chose to stand near the sitting pianist.

"Tsuchiura-kun, is that your drawing task?"

"Huh? This?" He said, pointing at his forgotten picture. Hino was already walking towards the picture and lifted it.

"Wow! It's very good!" She said, by now mesmerized. Now every eyes in the room were settled on the piece of paper.

"Nah, it's just Takamura-sensei's task." Tsuchiura replied, pulling back the paper, before Hino make anymore comment, and roll it. He tied a rubber band to secure it and put it on his bag.

"You're very talented, Tsuchiura-kun. I never knew you're also good in drawing. Maybe you should take architecture or interior design in university!" She said excitedly.

"So now, why did you call us here, sensei?" Tsukimori asked, cutting the conversation in silent demand that the meeting shouldn't be wasting his time too much.

"Oh, well, let me tell you the real story first." He stood and half-sat on the arm of the couch

"Actually there's a competition held for every music high school once in every three years." He explained. Immediately he could see the change in the girl's face. She looked burdened and scared.

"This year's representatives are the three of you. The sent team must consist of one accompanist and two main performers." he added.

"But why choose two violinists?" Hino asked bluntly.

"Nah, the headmaster asked me to choose two closest-affiliated performers from the last concour. And the two of you happened to be good friends to Tsuchiura-kun also, so I recommend him to be the accompanist."

Do we looked that close? Hino thought sheepishly, face already reddening.

We don't even form a special relationship.

"But," the teacher added," actually Tsuchiura's role were not only as accompanist. There would be some parts where he'll play solo or he take over the main melody. So we really should choose a fine pianist."

"Where will that be held? Here?" Hino asked.

"No. Actually we'll send you to Kyoto. It was held there every time."

"How long will we stay there?" Tsukimori asked

"One week. The competition is only one round. Now, do you all agree?"

Silent. Seemed everyone were in their own deep thoughts.

"It'll be held next month on 18 September, so there's still so many time to practice. About 5-6 weeks to prepare." Kanazawa convinced the students.

"Will we be freed from the mid-semester tests?" Hino asked

"When are the Gen-Ed mid-semester tests going to be held?" He asked back.

"It starts on 12 till 20." Tsuchiura answered.

"Oh. Yeah, of course you'll be freed."

"Okay! I'm joining!" Hino said cheerfully

"This is too tempting to refuse. I'll join." Tsuchiura said

"But what about your soccer team, Tsuchiura-kun?"

"There's no competition until the end of September. To miss practices for a week is not a big deal." He shrugged.

"Now," The teacher said while automatically all eyes directed to the male violinist.

"I'll think about it later." Tsukimori said.

"Aw, come on Tsukimori-kun.." Hino whined. All hesitation had gone swiftly because she wouldn't face any mid-semester tests next week.

"Do you have a plan for that week?" Kanazawa asked.

"It's not that..but I.." his eyes looked downwards, seemed to be lost in his thought. More than that, Hino can also see a hidden feeling trying to resurface in him. His eyes looked depressed and...frightened?

He never showed that face before. He's a cold-hearted, confident, and fearless violinist. Now all of it seemed to be lost and he looked really close to broke down.

"What? Scared in some other town?" Tsuchiura commented sarcastically, as if reading Hino's thought.

He glared at him while immediately his expression coming back to the usually stoic one.

"Ok, I'll join."

Hino smiled. Now, it's settled.

"Okay then, we'll start looking for the piece tomorrow." The teacher, contented with the easyness of the convincing Tsukimori.

"What are the requirements for the piece?" Tsukimori asked.

"Actually there's three pieces you have to perform. Okay, let me explain."

"I wonder what does the theme 'All Up to You' means" Tsuchiura said while opening an old score book. The pages were already yellow and dusty, almost making him sneeze.

They have to play three pieces but the other one is a compulsory song, given by the committee while the rest are optional. These two pieces can be a song made for any instruments. Later, after they gave the copy of the pieces to the teachers, the teachers would make the arrangement for two violins and one piano. That wouldn't be an easy job.

The performers knew it, so they tried to find a piece as soon as they can.

Now they're inside the score room in the Tsukimori Mansion. As expected, there are so many pieces in the room. The papers are grouped based on alphabetical order of the composer and put in the shelves which surrounded the three sides of the rather big room. On the fourth side, there's an upright piano to try the pieces. Just how many piano this mansion has?

The male violinist was sitting on a couch, looking for some good nominations at a stack of pieces while the guests were groping and reading on the shelves.

"What a funny joke.." Tsukimori mumbled.

"Maybe that's what they want." Hino told them. The others stopped their activities and Tsukimori nodded slightly as a sign for her to continue. "They wanted us to find a score which suited our styles."

"If that's the case then we're facing a great difficulty." Tsuchiura said.

"What do you mean?" Hino asked back

"Our preference for music is different." Tsukimori explained for Hino, "I prefer Baroque music while Tsuchiura likes pieces from the Romantic Era."

Silence once again.

"And you only play the pieces you've heard."

Hino blushed in embarrassment.

Tsuchiura sweatdropped. Yeah, that indeed is Hino's preference.

"But I guess preference is not a big deal. It's not like I've never played a Baroque or Renaissance pieces before." Tsuchiura said.

"It'll affect greatly on the way you're playing it."

"Nah," Tsuchiura said, already turning back to face the shelves. " Let's just continue to find a piece. We'll discuss after we found some. "

"Tsukimori-kun, how do we reach the pieces that placed up there?"

"You can drag that ladder."

"Look at this, Hino" Tsuchiura called her, his eyes not leaving the book he's holding while Hino walked towards him.

"This is a piece my mother performed on her wedding day."

"Wow! Really Tsuchiura-kun? That's very cool!"

"What's it? Tsukimori asked.

"Debussy's Clair de Lune." He answered, meeting the house owner's eyes

"Can you play it for us? Now?" Hino asked excitedly.

"Mmm.." he considered, "Let me try."

The soccer player then approached the piano and started playing. He played just the half of the piece, only to give Hino the impression.

"It's a very beautiful one. Ah.. I wish I can perform something on my wedding day."

"And what about yours, Tsukimori-kun?" She asked after Tsuchiura got up and put the piece book back.

"Yeah, my parents too." He lifted his face from the book.

"What did they play?"

"Tchaikovsky's. One of the piece from The Nutcracker Play."

"Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy?" Tsuchiura guessed.

"No, not that jumpy song." he replied, closing the book in his hands, put it back and started to find the something on the shelves.

After he found the book he's looking for, he mumbled, "Waltz of the Flowers."

"Let me see." Hino said and joined reading with Tsukimori.

"Which instrument does it?" Tsuchiura asked, approaching his companions.

"Solo violin and piano accompanist." Tsukimori straightened and reply while Hino silently humming the song.

"It's a very good song. The melody is very beautiful and relaxing." Hino said, lifted her head. "Hey, what about if we pick them for the competition?"

"What?" the boys asked altogether. They shared a brief glance and quickly broke the eye contact.

"Yeah. For your parents. How about that?"

"But..what about yours?"

"My parents aren't a musician so they don't perform anything on their wedding day. It's fine, really."

When the two of them nodded she exclaimed happily.

"Then it's settled." She looked slightly relieved knowing that soon she'll be out from this cramped room.

"Um, do you have any photocopy machine, Tsukimori-kun?"

"It's on my father's working room."

Hino and Tsuchiura exchanged look. Both looked dubious and unsure.

"If it's in your father's room, I think we shouldn't use it, Tsukimori-kun, actually we can-"

"No, it's fine. I'll manage it."

"Fine, then you'll give the copy to Kanazawa sensei-sensei personally." Tsuchiura said.

He nodded slightly in approval.

"Hah," Hino stretched, obviously stressed with the environment of the room, "Let's get outta here."

The Next Day

"Hino Kahoko," the gaudy-faced old teacher called her deliberately loud, breaking her daydreaming and make the whole class turned their attention to the poor girl.

"Would you solve the problem I've just written on the board?"

Damn.

I don't understand differential for trigonometry at all.

Shakily she rose from her seat and walked as slow as possible to the blackboard.

She took the chalk and started to read the question

f(x)=2x

f'(x)...?

"By the way, we're going to have a test next week, students." The old woman announces.

She stopped dead on the tracks.

What? Test?

"Is there something wrong, Hino, or-"

"Attention please," came the sound from the speaker which usually used for announcement broadcasting, cutting the teacher's insult.

"Tsuchiura Ryoutaro from class 2-2, Hino Kahoko from class 2-5, and Tsukimori Tsukimori from class 2-A are to go to Practice room number 5 immediately. Once again I repeat.."

OH GOD!THANK YOU!

Suppressing the happiness from emerging in her action, she got down from the board towards the teacher.

"Ma'am," Hino addressed politely, "May I go to the principal's office now?"

Feeling like there's no choice, the sour-faced teacher just nodded as a silent dismissal.

The girl ran along the corridor of second year classes. She saw Tsuchiura walking ahead of her.

"Tsuchiura-kun!" she called. He apparently didn't hear her call. He continued to walk forward without even turning his head.

She decided to walk faster until she was close enough to see why. He was listening to a music player.

The teen's appearance was as expressionless as always, not even drumming his fingers or closed his eyes.

She lightly touched his shoulder to get his attention.

"Hino?" he turned and quickly took one of his earplugs off.

"Tsuchiura-kun, what are you listening to?"

"Music player, iPod." he fished his waist pocket and took out the said thing.

"Wow, iPod Touch!" she exclaimed. She took the music player and examined it in her hands. The light was off.

"How much when you bought this?"

"My sister gave it to me." they started walking again in a slower place. By now they're going down the stairs of the second floor

"Oww, how lucky.."

"Do you want to buy one?"

"Yeah. But it's very expensive..I don't have that much money..What're you listening to anyway?" Hino added, turning the light of the iPod on.

"No, it's just a regular song." He replied but Hino was already pressing the one and only button it has and the light turned on.

"Flo Rida? You like his kind of songs?" she said astonished.

"Yeah. Why?"

"No, I just-just imagine you're a 'classical music lover' and won't even listen to this kind of music."

"Nah. They're just fine with me. What's yours, Hino?"

"I like all kinds of music. But I want an iPod so I can listen to the classical music more often."

Unnoticeably, they have arrived on the Principal's office. Hino opened the door.

"Believe me, there's not even one classical song I put inside my iPod."

He stepped in while taking off the handsfree from his ear, folding the handsfree on the body of the iPod and turned it off.

"Now the participants are complete."Kanazawa sensei said, apparently he's informing the other people in the room.

Hino noticed they're other music teachers that she had never known before. One man and one woman. The woman was blonde and looked a rather old, maybe on her mid forties. On the other side, the man looked much younger, approximately on his early twenties with shocking red hair

"Let me introduce these teachers." he said to the two Gen-Ed students.

"This is Yukimura sensei and he's Takashi sensei."

Both of the newcomers nodded to the teachers, who replied with a small smile.

"Yukimura sensei here is to help you with the violin arrangements including fingering and setting the notes while Takashi sensei will help with piano fingering and accompaniment. When you got a question with the materials, don't hesitate to tell them."

The two of them proceeded with a slight nod. Then they took their leave, saying that they have a class to attend. Those teachers were holding some paper when they got out. It seemed Tsukimori has given the copied piece to the teachers

"Actually there's one more person in this team." Kanazawa sensei added. But it seemed he's going to be late.

"Who's that, Kanazawa sensei?"

"Wait till he arrived." he smirked playfully.

"So are we just going to wait for him?" Tsukimori asked impatiently.

"Fine, we'll discuss the next matter." Kanazawa sensei said, crossing his arms. "Actually I want to inform all of you that for the first practices, you're not going to do it together."

Hino narrowed her eyebrows, "What? Why?"

"Well, actually you and Tsuchiura-kun will be handled by Yukimura sensei while Tsuchiura with Takashi sensei."

"Oh," she said, starting to understand, "When we've become good enough, we could practice together."

"Are all of you okay with that?" the braided teacher tried to make sure. When all his students nodded, he continued. "The editing process would need approximately 2 weeks. So now, I'm going to discuss which day can all of you practice?"

"Is it going to be a weekly practice?" Hino asked, a little afraid the answer would be yes.

"Yeah. But if you can make it twice or thrice a week that would be better."

"Saturday?" Tsukimori suggested.

"No!" said Hino and Tsuchiura almost at the same time.

"I can't go hang out with my friends." the girl argued.

"Me too."

"Fine then, what about after schools?" the teacher proposed.

"It's ok, but I hope we can use Monday because that day, we Gen-Ed students got home earlier." Hino said.

"But the Music-Ed students don't go home earlier on Mondays." Kanazawa sensei said. "You will have to wait for Tsuchiura."

"What time do you go home on Monday, Tsukimori?" Hino asked.

"1.30" he said, not bothering to elaborate.

"Then we don't have to wait." Tsuchiura sighed. Music students don't have to face many kinds of school materials, at least less than the Gen-Ed students. So their studying time at school was less than the Gen-Ed students.

"On Monday, we got home the same time with your regular time. Ah I wish the teachers of Gen-Ed would take the Music-Ed's example." Hino said, pouting a little and it made her looked kinda cute.

"We got home at 2.30 you know." She added.

"Nah, don't be sour, we do have our own difficulties." Kanazawa sensei tried to console the two students. Okay then, it is settled on Monday after school." Kanazawa sensei scribbled down on his notepad.

"Do you want to add the practice frequency?" he asked after he lifted his head.

"Of course." Tsukimori said, "four times a week would do." This ambitious boy..

"Oh man, just make it every day!" Tsuchiura snarled. "We also have another duty to do. Not just to practice music."

"We only have 4 weeks for practice. I hope your little mind understand what 4-short-weeks means." Tsukimori replied sarcastically.

"Ok,ok." Kanazawa sensei said before the boys went down to a fight,

"We make it twice a week. But we can make an appointment out of schedule when we thought we need more. How about it?"

"I agree." Hino replied and smiled. That way she looked very beautiful. The two boys just nodded. Despite Kanazawa sensei's attitude, the teacher actually got many skills up to his sleeves. One of them is to think a solution quickly so he could handle the situation better which in this case, set apart the almost-arguing students.

The boys were still glaring hatefully towards each other when suddenly someone knocked on the door.

"Let me answer it."Kanazawa sensei said.

"Kanayan!" came the familiar squeal from the closed door. Soon the door was opened and her speculations proved right.

"Hihara-senpai?"

"Ah! Kaho-chan, Tsuchiura and Tsukimori. I'm sorry if you wait for long.." he said, stepping in to join them

"Hihara-senpai, are you one of the editing team?" Tsuchiura asked

"That's right." Kanazawa sensei said and walked towards the students.

"But isn't editing is the task of the teachers only?" Tsukimori responded.

"No, this competition is not only for the teachers and the representative, but also the whole school." The teacher explained.

"So what's Hihara-senpai's task in this editing team?" Hino said out loud.

"Hihara is well-known among the music students for his chord creativity." Kanazawa sensei supplied.

"So he'll be the one who set the keys?" Tsuchiura inquired. Both black uniformed students looked astonished with the senpai's true ability.

Hihara just scratched his head sheepishly.

"It's not that great." he said. "There are still so many people smarter in that than me."

"But they don't beat their own teachers." Tsukimori said.

"WHAT?" The red head reacted. The green one just lifted his one eyebrow.

"Ah, it's not that big." he smirked and tried to change the subject. "By the way, what song did all of you choose?"

"Waltz of the Flowers by Tchaikovsky and Clair de Lune-"

"OH NOO" the senpai exclaimed loudly, hands darting on his head.

"Those songs' really difficult!" he said. "But I think I'll try.."

"Here's the copy, Hihara." the teacher took out some stapleted papers from the table.

"Huh?" he took them and scanned the papers. Found something strange, he scrunched his face and show out a paper so everyone can see.

"And what's this piece?"

"Oh it must be the compulsory song. Hey, I've never looked at it. Let me see." Tsuchiura added and stretched his hand.

Hihara observed once again and gave it to him.

"It contains only the main melody. We'll have to make the arrangement and the keys ourselves."

"Ok sensei, I'll take the copies and start doing it now."

"When can you finish them?"

"Um, maybe two weeks? That's if I work every day."

"Ok. I expect you to finish it in the exact time you said."

"Kanayan, I think I'll go back to class. This meeting has been concluded, right?" he asked while silently demand the soccer player to gave back the paper he took before.

"That's fine. You can go now.

"Okay then. Goodbye everyone." he got out of the room after Hino and Tsuchiura replied.

"He seemed to be rushing around." Tsuchiura commented.

"Who knows? That kid." Kanazawa sensei shrugged.

"Ok then sensei, I think I'll be going back to the class." Tsuchiura said. "It's math after bell and I don't want that old woman interrogate me just because I'm 5-minute-late with whatever reason I got. Also, there will be a test next week and she might reduce my score if that happened."

"Oh! I almost forget. I also have a same test next week! Waaa, what should I do?" Hino whined.

"Maybe you can join Tsuchiura's class." Kanazawa sensei said.

"The teacher will notice me, of course."

"I can teach you." Tsuchiura concluded, already gripping the door handle to go out of the room. "Don't you want to come back, or not?"

"Ah, I guess I'll wait until the bell rang."

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><p><strong>Okay guys! Thanks for reading my first La Corda d'Oro fiction. Please review, if you wish to say something. I will be very glad if I could have building feedback from my readers ^^<strong>


	2. Chapter 2: And the Story Starts

Dear All, this is the update for this fic, sorry it took me so long to do it. I've even forgotten I've posted this fic :)

Not beta'ed, sorry for the errors and mistakes in grammar, situating the characters, and ooc(which i really hate and try to minimize)

So, enjoy

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><p>CHAPTER 2<p>

_"Worthless bitch!" a man snarled and kicked a little boy on the ground. The boy was breathing heavily with bleeding wound everywhere on his little, skinny body._

"_S-sorry papa." The little boy apologized weakly through his sobs even though he didn't know what he had done wrong. Maybe because he went into his father's room that morning? Maybe because he broke down after seeing his mother and father's fight tonight?_

_But the simple words didn't make the man cease his torture. He keeps kicking the boy's ribs until he's satisfied and left the boy there, lying on his back, barely conscious._

_Slowly the boy tried to regain control of his limbs to go back to his room. He tried to stand up but found out that it's hurting too much. So he tried to move using his arms to drag his feet._

_He hadn't move for far when he felt something on his neck and it's fastening quick until he couldn't breathe._

_"Die you worthless bitch!" roared the strangler that none other than his own father._

_He felt his eyes rolled up and panic started to fill his mind._

_Help!_

_Help!_

_HELP!_

Tsukimori woke up with a jolt. He sat there for a moment, dumbfounded that now he wasn't at the same place again.

Straightening up, he felt his neck cramped because of his wrong way to sleep. He looked around and found out he's sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall with some paper of scores put next to him in the music room of his house.

Damn, this nightmare again.

He sighed, it's been a week since he and that two Gen-Ed students agreed to join the competition in Kyoto. It's also been seven rough nights for Tsukimori. Sometimes he'll wake up, sweating and breathing hard at midnight and unable to sleep until morning comes.

During those days, they hardly ever talked and when they met, Hino just threw a smile to him while that soccer bastard simply looked at him with a stoic expression.

But-Hey, Hino seemed to be getting closer to Tsuchiura.

They often walked together..

Are they dating?

No, that shouldn't happen.

No, they didn't seem intimate to each other.

Standing and stretching, he tried to shake his thoughts away. Starting a morning with a bad thought like this won't make a good day, he contemplated. He glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed. It's still 5.30 in the morning and he feels very tired. Every muscle in his body were craving the rest it needed but his mind won't allow sleep overtake his body.

Somehow he couldn't erase the nightmare of his nearly death experience from his mind.

He's..scared to feel it once again..scared to sleep..

Sighing once again, he walked towards his bathroom and took a look at the wall mirror near the wash-basin.

He looked thinner and vulnerable. The dark purple lines already filling under his eyes, giving him a sunken looking. Constantly haunted by his dreams made he unable to eat properly. Every time he saw his food, all he could think is that man's cruel face.

And that woman's desperate abuse on him.

No..They're not related to me again..

Did not want to spent more time observing and pitying his face, he started to undress and take a bath.

* * *

><p>7.30 am<p>

Tsukimori parked his car and took out his belongings from the passenger seat. After he locked the car, he walked towards the schoolground to go to the Music-Ed building. Some students were already coming and heading to their own building.

He walked calmly, although he's uncomfortable inside. He felt squirmy but tried to suppress it. His head also pounding greatly on his skull. The boy tried to reduce it with some aspirin but it didn't even help. He didn't bother to share a greeting and planned to stay silent for the rest of the school day.

But his plan backfired.

A certain red-haired girl, grinning happily who was running called his name so loud that everyone turned their attention on them.

Awkwardly, he turned his head to face her. But as soon as she's a few feet away from him, her grin diminished and placed with concern.

"Tsukimori-kun, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." he tried to plaster a fake, reassuring smile and turned back, continued to walk.

"Tsukimori-kun, you looked so pale.." she quietly commented while walking side by side with him.

"Really Tsukimori-kun, you should-"

"CAN'T YOU JUST SHUT UP?" he shouted. Hino was really irritating him for no end. Meddling into his condition in this situation was not appropriate. Can't a big girl like her understand that? Now for the second time, all eyes on the schoolground once again darted their destination to the violinists.

Hino was only standing erect, shocked with Tsukimori's outburst. The music student glared at her, then part his way to the Music Building without saying anything.

"I-I'm sorry, Tsukimori-kun.." she muttered silently as she walked alone, with her head bowed, towards the Gen-Ed building.

Tsukimori sighed. He feels so guilty doing that to her. Okaa-san says that he should apologize when he hurt other people but..

He continued to walk silently until he reach his classroom and sit on his desk's chair. Looking down, he noticed there's something on the drawer under the table..

A letter?

He took the envelope and examined it. There's no name on it, just some words addressing that the letter belongs to him.

Maybe it's a love letter from a secret admirer?

A letter like that isn't unusual for Tsukimori. Sometimes the sender even braves enough to write her name on it.

But those letters are usually girlish with heart or flowery theme, not like this one, white and plain.

He swept a look to everyone in the room. No one was looking at his direction; it means the no one knows he got this thing.

Calmly he opened it and unfold the letter.

He read..and almost simultaneously his eyes widened in horror.

* * *

><p>Tsuchiura walked calmly through the hallway to his class. The corridor was crowded as usual because the morning bell hasn't ring yet. Some of the students he recognizes exchange greeting with him as he passed them.<p>

That's when he saw Hino walking towards his direction with her head bowed.

"Hino?" he called.

For a while she didn't respond so he lightly touched her shoulder when they're passing each other.

"Uh, Tsuchiura-kun." she placed a smile on her face and stopped walking.

"Hino, what's wrong?"

"Nothing Tsuchiura-kun, it's alright." she tried to convince the soccer player.

"Is it because of that Tsukimori?"

She gasped and looked up, "How do you know?"

"You know, everyone in the schoolground was talking about your recent incident."

"Really, Tsuchiura it's all my fault." Hino tried to clarify whatever information nested in the boy's head.

The soccer player looked at her for a while before asking her to talk with him in his classroom. He was sitting on his desk while choose the empty seat in front of him.

"Tsuchiura, after I tell you about this, please don't attack or scold Tsukimori-kun."

When he finally nodded, she began her story.

"You know," he finally commented after several minutes of just nodding in acknowledgement, "I've also felt he's stressed out about something, but I can't pinpoint what's wrong with him all this time."

"Is it because of his family? You know, maybe he's having a disagreement with his parents."

"If it's the family matter then we shouldn't be meddling inside, Hino."

She nodded with a thinking face, not seemed to be able to accept Ryoutaro's opinion bleakly.

"Maybe he'll be back to his usual self in no time. Don't worry, Hino."

Hino, feeling better, nodded and smiled at him

"But still, bursting at you like that isn't a proper thing to do." he put his hands in the drawer under his table and noticed something.

"Wah, love letter, Tsuchiura-kun?" she squealed when he take the thing out. It was a plain and white envelope he got there.

"Of course not." He smirked. "Let's see.."

He opened the lid of the cover and shook the paper out. Instantly the paper inside fell down to the desk and opened from its folding. Hino read it first and her eyes widened in dread.

"Hino, what's wrong?" Tsuchiura asked but also shocked with the letter's words.

_For the HEROES of SEISOU_

_You think you're great, eh? Going for the competition in the name of school?_

_I want everyone of you to OUT from this_

_Or else I'll play dirty_

"Tsuchiura, wh-what's this?"

Tsuchiura, too stunned, couldn't say anything, merely shook his head.

"Should we tell the teachers?" she said quieter, protruding her head closer to his. She was scared, but she tried to hide it as best as she can.

"No, don't let the teachers know."

"But this is-"

"Listen, Hino, we still don't know whether this threat is serious or not." He said clearly, "Do you still remember that in the previous concour, so many music students hate us just because we're the only Gen-Ed students as the participants?"

She nodded slowly, eyes trained on the speaking figure.

"If we let the teachers know about it, then their hard work all this time will be in vain. Remember that the editing process is already running for a week. They even said that the song Clair de Lune is already done."

She sighed, "Okay, we'll keep it just between both of us."

"Yeah." Tsuchiura approved, "Don't tell anyone including your two friends and-" he smirked, "Even Amou."

"Ok." The girl chuckled and smiled weakly,

"I think the editing team is doing the work fast. One piece in a week," Hino said, trying to change the horrible subject.

"Yeah. With Hihara-senpai inside, it seemed impossible. But," His expression changed grimmer, "I'm sure that bastard will demand correction for every part. Poor editing team."

"Don't be like that, Tsuchiura-kun," Hino grimaced, "I'm sure he'll have some mercy.."

"And today we are going to practice the first piece. Do you bring your violin?"

"OH!" she blurted, very loud until everyone in the class abruptly became silent and looked at her.

"Ah..s-sorry everyone..ahahaha…" she scratched her head.

"Oh no, I forgot! How could I..."

Tsuchiura smirked; she's way much better than this morning he met her. Suddenly the bell rang. All the students slowly dismissed their activities and went back to their respective seats.

"Okay Tsuchiura-kun, I'll go back to my class." she stood up from the chair, "Since we are going to practice today, I think I can borrow a violin from the music room. Bye Tsuchiura-kun"

For the rest of the school day, there's no intrusion. Only after the first break, they found the edited piece of Clair de lune in their desk. The papers were also stapleted with a little paper, saying that they'll discuss the practice schedule today after school.

"It's very long!" Hino whined to Nao and Mio. The two girls just smiled at her reaction.

Hino turned the page she's currently reading.

"Which part is mine? The main melody or the accompany one?"

Suddenly the bell rang, indicating that it's time to go home.

"Good job with your practice, Hino." Nao chirped and wave her hand, followed by Mio. Both went to their own seat to fetch their things.

Hino also took her bag and go straight to the music room number 5. It's very crowded in the hallway and stairs, so she had to get down slowly. But on bottom of the stairs, she saw the canteen and became tempted to buy some snacks there. That was when she saw her favorite senpai heading to the same place.

"Hihara-senpai!" she called and approached him.

"Ah! Hino-chan!"

"Hihara-senpai, what do you want to buy?" She's already queuing behind him.

"Just some soda. You?"

"Dunno, I've eaten lunch, so maybe some snacks or candies. Oh, by the way, will you come to the discussion after this?"

"Yeah, sure. Will you also be there?"

He nodded.

"For the early practices, I and the teachers must be present to explain when you're confused."

She nodded thoughtfully. That was when Hihara got his chance to buy the snacks. After they had done, the two headed straight to the appointed music room. Tsuchiura and the three teachers are already there.

The female, middle-aged teacher was reading a magazine on a couch. Near that spot, Kanazawa sensei can be seen sitting on the opposite couch and doing a correction on a pile of paper. Tsuchiura was trying the piece at the piano while Takashi sensei who was standing near the piano silently put his attention on his piano pupil. Knowing that the door was opened, both of them turned their attention on the newcomers.

"Hihara-senpai, Hino." he called.

"Hey, Tsuchiura-kun." Hihara waved.

"I think we just have to wait for the other violinist." Yukimura sensei said. The woman glanced at her watch.

She seemed impatient; Hino thought as she closed the door and stepped inside.

"Usually he never comes late. Maybe he'll come in a minute." Kanazawa sensei said.

But for the next half an hour, Tsukimori hadn't come yet.

Tsuchiura has already done his learning, so he started to memorize it. During that he and the youngest teacher scratched and marked the papers with whatever code they use. Kanazawa was chatting happily with Hino and Hihara about their remarkable experience they got during the editing process. Hino was listening to him while silently tried to call Tsukimori. But until now, she hadn't gotten the chance.

"..and then you know what Hino? He came back to my house just to take-"

"No, Kanayan! You've sworn not to tell it to anyone. If you-"

"This is it." Yukimura sensei said standing up, drawing everyone's attention. Her magazine abandoned on a table, "I can't wait any longer."

"But Tsukimori-kun-"

"I've got to go home right now."

"But before that, Ma'am," Hino interjected swiftly, "Can you make an appointment with me for the practice?"

"Okay, let's see if you can do it this Thursday or Friday after school. At those, I'm available until 5pm."

"Let me consult it with him. Thank you for your patience, Ma'am." Hino said sweetly.

At this, the teacher seemed to regret her action before and relented.

"It's alright, sweetie, here, I'll give you my number." she took out a notepad, scribbled on it and tore it for her.

"Thanks, ma'am. I'll make sure to inform you as fast as I can."

The teacher then got out of the room after bid a quick goodbye to everyone.

"Yukimura sensei usually never rushed out like that." Hihara said.

"She has to fetch her husband on the airport this evening." Kanazawa sensei said calmly. He did not get worried because Hino seemed to be able to handle such situation.

"Sensei," Tsuchiura called, "I've done for today. Can I go home now?"

"Oh, how fast." Kanazawa sensei commented and turned to glance at Takashi sensei in silent demand of explanation.

"He already understands the piece. Just a few more practice and he'll be perfect." the youngest teacher replied.

"Don't exaggerate it will ya." Tsuchiura elbowed the teacher lightly. They seemed to have created a friendly connection.

"When will your next practice be?" Kanazawa sensei said.

"I don't think he need it, but if he wants.."

"No, no thank you.." he growled immediately and everyone in the room chuckled.

"Maybe both of us will practice for corrections once the songs are completed." Takashi sensei suggested, throwing a smirk at Tsuchiura.

"Yeah, that's much better. I'm grateful you're not crazy like that music elitist."

"Tsuchiura-kun!" Hino warned.

"Everyone have their own antics, Tsuchiura.."

"Yeah, yeah I know I know." he shrugged. Everyone in the room broke into laughter.

Hino smiled despite her worry about the absence of the so-called Music Elitist.

This room, even though everyone hadn't known each other for long, they have already considered others as a part of family. If I tell them about the letter, this happiness…this togetherness would be broken..

Yeah, Tsuchiura was right.

"Hino, you've done, right?" Tsuchiura asked, putting his folder of scores to his bag.

"Wait. One more question." she turned to Hihara, "Hihara-senpai, which day you can attend for the violin session? Thursday or Friday?"

"Both are okay." He said, "All depends on Tsukimori now. Contact me later, ok?"

She nodded and took her thrown bag into her hand. "Bye, everyone!"

Tsuchiura waved and walked first, leaving Hino to close the door.

"Tsuchiura, are you heading home?" she asked while she fished her pocket for cell phone.

"I guess." He scratched his head. "How's the math test today?"

"Well, don't ask that. I'll certainly go into the remedial."

Tsuchiura didn't say anything as they walked through the hall slowly.

"Why is Tsukimori-kun can't be phoned?" Hino mumbled, fingers hitting her cell phone desperately. That was when they passed a room where Mori Manami has just gotten out from.

"Hino-chan!" she called.

"Ah Mori-san!"

And then they bear-hugged. So much for meeting an ex-accompanist, Tsuchiura thought.

Tsuchiura sweat dropped and decided to stay away from the girls. He leaned against the wall and the girly talks started..

"You seemed slimmer, Mori-san, have you gone into a diet?"

She shook her head. "Do really looked slimmer? Maybe because I've stopped snacking since last month?"

"Oh really?" Hino's attention came back to her phone. She tried to call Tsukimori again and still it wasn't received.

She huffed and pouted, "Why doesn't he answer it?"

"Ah, you got a boyfriend now.."

"No not a boyfriend!" She shook her head cheeks faintly gone reddish, "It's Tsukimori-kun..he..didn't come to our appointment after school and I can't contact him until now. Then she remembered that Mori is Tsukimori's classmate. So she asked, "Did he go home earlier today?"

She shook her head, trying to recall Tsukimori's activities today."No, I guess..No" she said the last part clearer.

"But-Hey, he was sleeping at his desk. Yea, and he's not going when we all got home."

"Oh really? Then maybe he's still in class. Thank you, Mori-san. You're very helpful " Hino muttered.

"Tsuchiura-kun, let's go there." she caught him by the wrist and led the pianist to her destination.

Hino and Tsuchiura strode to the Music-Ed students' classroom hall. The whole place was already empty, not even a single soul occupied the hall and classrooms. They walked and quickly found class 2-A.

Both of them peered inside the deserted classroom. The desks and chairs were put in an orderly manner. In a glance, there's no difference with the other classes, until they spotted a student slouched on a seat at the rear of the class.

"Tsukimori-kun.." Hino gasped. Worry started to fill her mind. Is he sick? This morning he looked so pale. They exchanged a brief glance and Hino saw that Tsuchiura was not as affected by the sight before them. But still something simmered between those eyes. Both of them walked inside to approach the sleeping figure. Upon closer looking, the teen didn't seem to be peaceful in his slumber.

He was sleeping with his head in the folds of his arms, breathing hard and sweating all-over. Occasionally he would whimper and his hands balled into a tight, white fist.

Hino's hands hovering above his frail form, seemed reluctant to touch his shoulders to wake him up. That was when Tsuchiura decided to take his turn. He bent over a little and touched his shoulder.

"Tsukimori-kun?" Hino tested whether he's already awakened or not. But he didn't.

Instead, he continued to whimper in his whatever nightmare, completely oblivious with the two disturbers.

Hino touched her hand on his damp forehead and gasped.

"He's burning!"

"Really?" Tsuchiura tested what Hino had said and his eyes widened immediately.

"It's a very high fever. We have to take him home quickly." she concluded.

Tsuchiura moved to sit at the chair ahead of him and immediately shook the violinist's shoulders violently to wake him up. It succeeded but the newly-awaken seemed terrified of something, for he huddled closer in an attempt to bring his knees to his chest, eyes wide and breathing harder.

"Tsukimori-kun, it's just us." Hino moved, so that she was in his sight-range.

For a moment he finally seemed to be aware of his surrounding and release the sigh he'd been holding.

He was very pale and his bangs were tousled all over, and it's still added with sweat all-over his form. They noticed that he's getting thinner than the last time he engage a conversation with him. It seemed impossible that the glorious, arrogant winner of the school concour several months ago had became this pathetic and scared boy.

"What are you two doing here?" he inquired, trying to be back to his usual self, but failed miserably since the fear and sunken-looking etched deeply in his should-be-handsome face.

Hino sighed and took a piece of tissue from her breast pocket. Without hesitation, she rubbed it on his damp face softly. Her fingers accidentally brushed against his skin. He felt like leaning to the touch but he was reminded to keep his ice on. So instead of that, he snatched the tissue and continued cleaning it himself.

"You're ill, Tsukimori-kun. We should get you home now."

"What time is it now?" he asked.

"3.15" Tsuchiura answered shortly.

Tsukimori's eyes widened in recognization. True, he'd been asleep for more than two hours.

"The appointm-"

"Already done."

The sick student sighed and looked away.

"Um, I've tried to call you for several times but you didn't answer it. Yukimura sensei said that she couldn't wait for long so she informed me to discuss with you whether we could practice at Thursday or Friday after school." Hino summarized.

"Tell her we go on Friday."

She nodded.

Suddenly he stood up and walked shakily.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Tsuchiura turned and shouted "Toilet."

Tsuchiura got up also, standing behind Tsukimori and getting ready to catch the stubborn boy if he falls.

And he did.

For a split second, his vision swayed and his knees buckled, making him almost on the floor if not for a hand catching his bicep.

Tsuchiura's eyes widened as he realized how scrawny the boy's arm felt in his firm hand.

"Tsukimori-kun!" Hino said, shocked.

"You're not in a condition to walk." Tsuchiura said and steadying him on his feet. But the violinist was simply too weak to stand on his two feet because his legs kept buckling underneath him. His eyes were half-lidded, meaning that the strain was too much on him. Tsuchiura feared that this guy is going to pass out on him.

Suddenly the half lidded eyes opened wide. Tsukimori's face was greenish and he took sharp, ragged breath and it was all the sign they needed to sprang into action.

Hino quickly ran to take the trash can at the front of the class and placed it on Tsukimori's chest. She turned her head away, not wanting to see the vomiting process.

There were sound of gagging and retching from the poor boy but he didn't make any liquid-dripping sound.

When Hino turned her face slowly, and saw that the only thing he could throw up is a little amount of bile and acid. The boy had already finished emptying his originally empty stomach and now slumped weakly against Tsuchiura, had lost what little strength he got in his body. He looked much more miserable than before. A little bit clear vomit dribbled down from the corner of his mouth to his chin and the boy seemed unaware to that.

"I'm going to order a taxi to bring him home." Tsuchiura said. "You get him a glass of water and give me your tissue."

She quickly took the compartment tissue on her breast pocket and dashed to the school canteen, not forgetting to put back the trash can to its respective place.

Tsuchiura dragged the limp teen to sit on the nearest chair. The violinist tried his best to resist Tsuchiura's assistance, but however he fought, the boy was still too strong for him.

"Don't be persistent. You'll collapse if you keep standing like this." he said after Tsukimori was settled. His hands were dangling weakly to the sides and so did his feet.

He was fighting to stay awake even though his eyelids threatened to be closed.

Tsuchiura took a ply of the tissue and cleaned the vomit leftover around his mouth. He then sat on the chair next to the sick boy and took out his cell phone. He sighed, tried not to feel piteous towards his companion. He was looking at his contacts when Tsukimori finally trusted himself to speak even though his voice was hoarse.

"A-Actually I brought a car.."

"Eh? Really?" Tsuchiura raised his head, his cellphone quickly forgotten. "Then I'll drive. Gimme the key."

"Hmmm?" he mumbled.

"Where's the key? Get them."

He stuck his hand to his pocket and groped for the thing. He finally succeeded when Hino barged in.

"Tsukimori-kun," Hino bowed so she could talk to him closer. She opened the seal and the cap of the plastic bottle and touched it to his bottom lip, waiting for him to open his mouth. Since he was barely conscious, she couldn't bring herself to jerk him awake.

But he forced himself to open his eyes and take over the bottle. He drank only a few small gulps before lowered the bottle.

"Have you ordered a taxi?" Hino asked while recapping the bottle.

"He brought a car." answered the pianist.

"Hino, you help him to the lobby. I'll get his car there"

She nodded and together, they packed his things. Tsuchiura slung his and Tsukimori's bags on one shoulder. The other he used to sling Hino's bag and carried Tsukimori's violin. Now he really looked like a slave boy or victim of a bully.

He walked swiftly to the parking ground. There were not many cars left, only about ten to twenty. Standing on the middle of the lot, he scrabbled his pocket for the signal-using key and pressed the unlock button. One of those cars responded and Tsuchiura proceeded to go there and put his entire burden on the passenger seat. He shifted and positioned himself to the driver seat.

Not long, he started the engine and drove towards the door of the school lobby. When he saw Hino was already waiting on one of the benches there, he got down and opened the backseat door. Some of the remaining students that happened to be there watched them intently as if it's something spectacular.

After Hino laid the half-conscious violinist to the seat, she went to the other door of the backseat and eased Tsukimori's position so that his head was lying on her lap. He no more aware the situation he was currently in. All he could do was just whimpering in pain and uncomfortable.

"What should I do?" Hino asked in worry as the boy's condition seemed to deteriorate fast.

"Hold tight; don't let him fall to the carpet." The makeshift driver met her anxious eyes in the rear-view mirror.

"Nnnnnoo…" Now he'd started to shake his head which was laid in Hino's lap. Hino tried to grasp and steady him, but was afraid she'll hurt unintentionally.

"Sssh..Tsukimori-kun, It's okay…" she took a sheet of tissue from her breast pocket and wiped his sweat-stricken brow. His fever was rising rapidly; the forehead was much hotter than before. He continued to mutter incoherent words in a frightened tone, while Hino constantly assuring him that he was, actually, okay.

Tsuchiura was also worried by it. He kept glancing at the rear-view mirror, the only thing that could show him what happened in the backseat without breaking his concentration by turning his head. He was almost turning his direction towards the closest hospital if not for he kept telling himself that Tsukimori's only sick with fever. He drove as fast as possible but still managed to be careful on the road. Fifteen minutes-but felt like a long hour were all he needed to pick the boy back to his mansion.

After Tsuchiura parked the car inside, he opened the door and asked one of the servants to bring him into his bedroom upstairs. At first the woman looked shocked and unable to move but Tsuchiura's snap brought her back from her stupor. While the woman left, the students decided to laid his belongings on a couch at the living room.

Just before they got out of the living room, a female voice drifted from there.

"Tsukimori-kun, are you home? We need to-"

The voice stopped upon seeing the two unexpected guests.

"Hino-san? Tsuchiura-san?"

"Ah, Hamai-san." Tsuchiura bowed a little. Hino followed suit.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I thought it's my son. Where's Tsukimori?"

The two fidgeted for a moment before Tsuchiura braced himself to talk first.

"Tsukimori-san passed out this afternoon." he said shortly. Misa Hamai's eyes widened briefly before she regained her calm appearance.

"He's in his room. A servant brought him upstairs." Hino added.

She nodded.

"Well, if you'll excuse us.."

"Oh yeah, thank you for delivering my son.." she said distractedly. The three walked in silence until they arrived at the fence.

"Tell me, Hino, Tsuchiura," she fidgeted uncomfortably, "Did he talk in his sleep?"

The students were taken aback by the young woman's question. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Hino let herself answer the woman, "Yeah, Hamai-san, he also seemed to have a nightmare."

"I see." the mother said sadly while opened the gate.

"See you. Thank you once again."

That was when a car edging towards the gate. The woman opened it wider before it went in.

The pianist and violinist walked on a pavement towards their own house. Both were engulfed in silence until the pianist broke it off.

"Tsukimoris are in trouble."

"Huh? How can?"

"Don't you know it?" He inquired.

"Hamai-san looked worried of her son, but that's not unusual right?" Hino guessed.

"That's not it." Tsuchiura said. "Don't you feel it's strange that the parents were already home in a noon like this?"

"Parents?" Hino asked but a sudden realization stopped her immediately. That car. It brought Tsukimori-kun's father.

"It might explain Tsukimori-kun's behavior recently." she said sadly. "I hope he'll be okay soon.."

"You don't need to be worried about him, Hino. And once again, don't go meddling into his problems. It would only cause you more troubles."

She nodded, "I won't."

But watching her sad face was enough for him to elaborate, "Don't worry, we'll always be there whenever he needs friends."

* * *

><p>So that's it. Sorry for being so angsty. If there's third gender of this story it's certainly will be angst<p> 


	3. Chapter 3: Into the Competition

**Dear beloved readersss . I'm so sooorrrryyyyyyyyy I didn't update for quite a long time...**

**Simply because I've forgotten that I HAVE A STORY IN THIS !**

**Oh no...please forget my stupidity.**

**Actually, I've wrote far ahead than what I've posted, but it's not done yet.**

**Enjoy **

* * *

><p>Chapter 3<p>

The Next Day

Hino went home rather early that day because she didn't go practicing at the music room. If you want to think about it, she'd never bring her violin when she goes to school ever since the concour ended. The lobby was filled with many Gen-Ed and Music students, but the majority is the Gen Ed ones because Music students had been dismissed about an hour ago.

When she was walking down from the building, someone called her.

"Hino-senpai.."

She turned back and smiled at the caller.

"Fuyuumi-chan!"

The girl jogged down the stairs to reach her beloved senpai. It's been a while since they've last met. After the concour, they've never talked officially, just saying hello or greeted each other briefly.

"Fuyuumi-chan, don't you go practicing at the music room?"

She shook her head meekly, "I always pr-practice at home.."

"Ah I see.." Hino smirked and circled her hand on her shoulders, making her kouhai blushed even more.

"Anyway," she took back her hand, "Are you waiting to be fetched?"

She shook her head, "My driver has waited for me at the parking ground."

"Okay then," she said, "Bye Fuyuumi-chan!"

"Bye senpai."

Soon, she was already hitting the road, walking home by herself. The day was as sunny as ever, no signs of upcoming rain, let alone storm.

Not long, she finally reached her home. Fishing the key in her pocket, she unlocked the fence door and stepped inside. She kicked her shoes free, and stepped into the living room. Surprise to her that Nee-chan has already home and she was chatting on the phone.

When Hino came in, she quietly turned back and talked in a softer voice.

Usually Nee-chan is still in the campus at this time. Did she escape? Hino thought.

That's the most plausible excuse.

"..yes, actually the rings must be sent to our house today, but...yes..next week?"

Ah..she's obviously talking to her boyfriend..no..Soon-to-be-fiancee. Recently, she's been ranting all day about her engagement day. But she's never shown Hino any photo about this boyfriend. Their parents had already met this man and talked business with his parents but Hino do never knew his appearance. Nee-chan said that this man is a teacher but she didn't want to tell her any further.

Glancing at the standing Hino, she batted her free hand in a gesture for the teen to go away. But Hino remained there to listen at the young woman's conversation.

"I hope Swarovski won't postpone our engagement ring anymore." she said in a sad tone. After a few minutes the phone were turned off.

It appears that they were talking about the engagement rings. Looks like the rings wouldn't be sent on time.

"Your boyfriend?"

She nodded sadly. Hino sighed and sat next to his sister on the couch. "It's not like the big day cancelled, right?"

"No, but it feels like," she put her head on her palm, which elbow resting on the fluffy armrest, "..feels like there's so many hurdles holding this event."

"First, he told me that he must train his student on the engagement day."

"Train his.."

Oh yeah, Nee-chan has ever said that his boyfriend is a teacher..

"And now the engagement ring problem."

She nodded miserably.

Hino put her hand over her sister's shoulders in an attempt of consolation. "It's not like you break up with him, right?"

The woman slumped further into the couch, "But still.."

"Nee-chan," Hino assured. "I'm sure he'll understand."

Yeah, she thought, I don't even know him and I've talked big like that.

The older sister smiled at her for her words sounded like an adult's.

"Okay then Nee-chan," she said, standing up.

"I'm going to practice at my room."

Hino carried her bag to her room and put the thing on the bed. She picked a music folder from a nearby rack. The violinist sat back on her bed and opened it.

Oh no..

The moment she read the Clair de Lune piece, her mind started to go crazy..

Oh God…

What's this piece? Sooo many flats! Oh nooo! What should I do? I can't play it! Should I tell Hihara-senpai's team to retranspose it? But I'll be a burden. Delaying everything just because of my incompetency..

No..

A very crazy idea struck like tons of ice hitting her head. Her eyes widened as she tried to disengage the idea.

What if I asked his help?

Ask Tsukimori-kun's help

But..no..no..Tsukimori-kun's still sick, she batted. I didn't see him today, did I?

Also he'll rebuke me for being so inadequate. No, I can't call him.

And now I wish Tsuchiura-kun is the violinist..

But, there's no other choice. I really have to ask his help.

If he refuses, well, I'll ask Hihara-senpai to transpose the piece. Or Hey! Maybe I could call that female teacher What's her name? Yeah, Yukimura sensei! She's a mentor the school provided for me and Tsukimori-kun, I guess it's fine to consult my difficulties with her.

The auburn head took back her thrown bag and and searched the note Yukimura sensei gave her yesterday.

Yesterday? Yeah, it feels like happened a long time ago..

When the careless girl finally found the crumpled paper, she quickly got out of her room and approached the phone in the living room. Her sister wasn't there anymore; maybe she's gone to her room.

She grabbed the phone Nee-chan used previously and start dialing for the number. But just before she pressed the 'call' button, a pang of uncomfortable feeling attacked her.

It feels like.., she thought, I don't want to call and ask her help. Why?

I don't know, just couldn't shake this feeling off.

Nonetheless, she dialed and soon after, the phone was picked.

"Hello?" came a voice of a little kid.

"Hello boy, may I speak to your moth um..Yukimura sensei?

"Oh, okaa-san's out. Who are you?" the kid asked bluntly.

"I'm Hino." she said. "Please tell okaa-san I called, ok? Bye."

"Bye..Onee-chan."

And the line went dead. Onee-chan? Wow, I'm an Onee-chan now? That's awfully cool, she smiled happily.

A part of her silently glad that her teacher was unavailable, although now she must face a greater risk; asking help from the great-arrogant-prodigy Tsukimori Len.

Even so, she didn't understand why but it feels like the burden in her chest was suddenly taken away.

And now she dialed the Tsukimori Mansion's home number.

"Hello." came the deep tenor voice of the Tsukimori Len.

Oh no, what should I say? Knowing that the caller is me, he'll surely snap right away or shut the line. Heee...

"Hello?" he repeated, this time sterner and..Angrier? He was surely in a bad mood right now..

"Um..Tsukimori-kun..um..can you help me?"

"Hino?"

"Um..Yeah it's Hey h-how are you? Are you feeling better?"

For a moment, the boy didn't say anything until he found a decent, yet curt answer, "Yes, I'm fine."

Silence. The situation became really awkward until Hino decided to react, "Umm..were you absent today? At school?"

"Yeah. Mother wouldn't let me in. Why did you call?" Len said, apparently tried to drop the subject and went straight to the point.

"Umm, Tsukimori-kun, actually A-are you feeling okay right now-you know just to be su-"

"Hino, I'm fine!" He said impatiently.

"Alright, alright I'm sorry Tsukimori-kun. I-I was just going to ask your help if you're feeling up to it.."

She expected him to reply something but he didn't give any response so she continued her request.

"Um, When I checked the piece this afternoon I found out that the song contains so many flats.."

"It's played in d-flat." Tsukimori-kun corrected.

Yeah, she grimaced; I'm very stupid about music. But it's not wrong..

"So?" he strained. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

"I can't play it. At all."

She distanced the phone from her ear and braced herself for the sarcastic comment to sound.

"Oh, as expected."

Hino who heard the comment (although vaguely) quickly set back the phone on her ear.

"..so now, what do you want?" he asked.

"Can you teach me to play it? Please.."

No response.

Okay he's definitely closing the phone. He won't help such an idiot like me..

"Okay," he finally said. Hino almost jumped hearing it. "You go here or I go there?"

She thought for a while. If he's still recovering, it's better if I go there. Besides, I'm the one who needed him. But what about his mother? Is she home? I'll be screwed if she's home..If it's in my place, I really don't want to know if my sister (deliberately) misunderstands about me and Tsukimori-kun. She could make my life a hell lot worse than before..

"Hello?" he pressed

"Ah Ah yeah, sorry, Um..but I think I'll..go there.."

Oh no damnit! Why did I make such a haste decision?

"Okay then. When?"

"Um..to-today..Today! At..5 pm. Yeah. Can you?"

"It's fine."

"Ok then.." she trailed, "Bye! See you."

Shortly after she closed the phone, she went back to her room and took a shower.

Once she has done stripping, she walked inside the sliding square and turned the shower on. The water fell unto her auburn hair and trickling downwards to her neck and body. As the liquid ran freely, and so did her thoughts.

I don't think he's well enough, she mused. Somehow after yesterday's event I don't want to see him so miserable like that. Like I'm.. It's like I feel his suffering..or..

What's this? Why am I feeling like this?

She sighed. The action of rubbing the soap over her arm became distinct in her brain as this train of unsolved feeling filled her mind.

I can't explain it.

She turned the tap off and reached for the towel. Soon enough she'd dressed in a red T-shirt and jeans shorts. Glancing at the clock, it was already 4.30 in the evening.

Hino quickly grabbed her violin and folder and headed outside the house.

She jogged down the sloping road to reach her destination. His house wasn't that far ahead but she got no time to slow down. Soon, she turned into the corner and the house was already inside her peripheral vision. Closing the distance, she rang the bell and the violinist came out. She couldn't see his face clearly because of the fence but he didn't seem to be pale like yesterday. She threw him a cheery smile and he replied with a small one.

But when he walked, his movements were a bit sluggish. Hino's smile changed into a slight frown. He shouldn't approve my request..He's not well enough..

"Come in" he said, breaking her mulling. She masked a smile and went inside the yard.

The boy locked back the fence and turned.

"Um, have you seen the piece, Tsukimori-kun?" Hino tried to start a conversation.

"No. But I've played once before."

"Ah, I see..."

The boy gestured the girl to follow him. Hino shook away her sandals before she stepped into the mansion. They walked inside the living room and Tsukimori sat on the couch, followed by Hino. They sat face to face, separated by a coffee table. There was no significant change for living room eversince Hino, Tsuchiura, and Hihara visited him. The chest filled with trophies and photos was still there, the pictures on the wall remained unmoved and the formation of the couches was still the same.

"Let's start now." Hino said. When Tsukimori nodded slightly, she opened her folder and found the first page of the piece.

"I'm playing the second part of the duet." she explained to him.

"I know."

She drag her folder before him so he could easily look at it.

"The main problem is I can't play in d-flat because the..um..flats were too many."

"How many flats you've played before?"

"Umm.." she mulled over and finally said, "Two, I guess."

His face quickly turned into scowl and before he sighed, she quickly added, "B-But I've once played in E Major. You know, the song on the first round of concour…"

"Tristesse?"

"Yeah! It had four.. um.. squares that functions like flats-"

"Sharps."

"Yeah.." she cringed. She got no knowledge on music, yet she has to be a single stage with the genius who sat beside her.

"Do you think I won't do it?"

He sighed and rubbed his temple. Hino frowned and they fell into a deep silent.

Suddenly a resolution lit in his eyes and he turned to her, "There's one way left."

"Really?" she said excitedly.

"I've never attempted before, but let's try." He quickly took out the paper from the folder and asked her pencil.

"This way you have to change your perspective. Here, give me your violin."

She obediently took her violin case and opened the zipper. She unstrapped her violin and gave it to him.

"Normally C-note is in here, right?" he pointed a particular part on the G string.

"Yeah."

"Now we have to shift it here." He moved his pointing finger a little downward, "You have to shift all of them semitone."

"What's semitone?" She asked bluntly.

He sighed and scowled once again. Really, this girl is so helpless..

"It's when you move a note a half higher."

"Oh! I see.."

"Then all you have to do is transpose this partiture into a numeric one."

"Okay, let me try." She reached for the pencil in his right hand but he pulled it away.

"Can you?" he doubted.

"Of course. Why not?" she swiftly took the pencil and started scribbling down on the paper. Tsukimori peered on the side to see her work. Surprisingly she was able to make it right albeit slowly. Tsukimori drew a small smile of satisfaction before he took the second page of the piece and helped her to finish.

After for about ten minutes, they finally finished transposing the whole piece. During that time, a servant came from the kitchen and brought out some drinks for them.

"Let's start." Hino commenced. She lifted her violin up and started to try the piece.

Twenty minutes afterwards…

"You need to be slower, Hino." Tsukimori said for the umpteenth time.

"I've tried, Tsukimori-kun but.." She trailed off, frustrated over her sense of music. They've been practicing for an hour now but her performance was still awful. Her syncope, beats and rhythm has never been right.

"Yes, there is _Tempo Rubato_ on the note, but it doesn't mean you can play it like that"

He didn't want to snap his frustration right unto her face. Scolding at her just like yesterday really made him feel guilty.

Without saying anything, she lifted her violin and bow and prepared herself ready to try once again.

"..don't." she heard Tsukimori said.

"Excuse me?"

"I said don't." He continued." Let's take a break before we start all over."

"Okay.." She lowered her violin and put it on the case. The shoulder rest was still attached, thus making it impossible to close the lid off.

"Would you like something to eat?" Tsukimori asked. He had already standing near the freezer and opened it.

"That would be nice." She turned towards him and replied.

Hino turned back and started to stretch her tight muscles loose. She massaged the skin around her neck and leaned against the couch.

As soon as her back hit the cushion, her cellphone rang. A phone call, apparently. She reached for it instantly and flipped the lid open.

"Moshi-moshi?"

"Kaho-chan"

"Nao-chan?"

"Hino, where are you?"

"Um...I'm away right now" She tried not to lie to her friend.

"Oh I see.." The short haired girl on the other line muttered. She seemed to buy Hino's vague answer. Deep inside, Hino sighed in relief.

"Um, are you busy?" She started to reveal her intention.

"Ano..." Hino trailed off. Tsukimori had already finished preparing some cakes and tea for both of them. He's now holding a tray and walked towards the coffee table in front of her.

Their eyes met as he passed by and instantly she pointed her cellphone as a silent gesture of permission for him.

"Um, I'm sorry but I'm away right now, Nao-chan." She turned away slightly from Tsukimori. "Later at home, okay? I'm sorry."

"Oh." Nao said. A hint of disappointment was audible enough to be heard.

"Look, I'm sorry, Nao-chan, I promise I'll be home soon and call you back. Okay?"

"Okay. Bye."

She muttered a quick goodbye and quickly close the line.

"You want to go home?" He offered.

Hearing the plain question she looked up to meet the standing host's bullion eyes.

"Yes." She hesitated before answered slowly. But she quickly regretted it and continued resolutely, "But I'll be home a half hour later."

To make her excuse more convincing, she added, "Nao had probably asked help from Mio by now."

Despite this, Hino was still feeling uneasy towards her best friend. It looked like she was abandoning her because of this.

Sometimes she mulled over her two groups of friends she has.

Her classmate ones befriend her longer than the concour ones but now the latter has also climbed its position equal inside her heart.

She hated the fact that in a condition like now, when those two needed her at the same time, she has to divide her attention without disregarding any of them.

Sensing that Tsukimori was looking at her and knew something was going on inside her mind, she quickly find something to divert his attention into.

True, she doesn't want him to blame himself for anything that was bothering her. He, despite his haughtiness and arrogance, is still one of her closest friends and she'd never want a friend to be troubled because of her.

She finally chose the cake as her victim.

"Wow! It looks delicious!" Hino quickly dismiss the awkward tension and slid down to the floor to start eating the cake.

Tsukimori did likewise and together they consumed it.

"Ne, Tsukimori-kun, Have you played this piece before?"

He answered it with a quick shake of his head and looked down, unable to meet her eyes.

Now it's clear that he felt guilty towards her.

Maybe, Hino thought, he positioned himself as the one who hindered me from going home. Eventhough I've said that I chose to stay here by myself, he's still taking the blame on himself.

This thing, added with his stress from the days before was finally taking its toll on him. He looked so down and...and..pathetic..

"Tsukimori-kun," She called slowly while searching his face. As soon as he looked up, she continued.

"It's okay. It's not your fault." The red-haired said reassuring.

"It's not a big deal and I can manage it. We've through worse." Her mind drifted into a squabble she had with Nao and Mio just because she wanted to concentrate on the concour.

Hearing her bleak confession, he felt slightly relieved and nodded solemnly.

"What if you played it once after this?" Hino quickly changed the idle subject. "So I could get a visualisation on what I'm playing at."

"Okay." He agreed. "But yours is not the main part of the may not sounds good."

"Hey, it's not like I only listen to a good piece." she grumbled slowly in reply.

Soon enough, their cakes were finished and they were enjoying the warm tea.

"Don't forget to practice at home, Hino. As soon as Tsuchiura and I start practicing together, you are supposed to be in as well."

"Okay." she agreed and plastered a sincere smile. "Now that we've transposed the whole piece, it would be much easier to practice on my own. It's also a good thing that I don't get to play the main melody. I'm afraid I could go off-tone. Besides.."

Tsukimori sipped the glass contained tea calmly as she talked on and on about her own interpretation for the piece, her worry had long forgotten since Tsukimori lightened up a little after her reassurement.

The prodigy smiled inwardly, what a little light she'd brought into his gloomy life.

"Has your tea done?" He asked not long after she stopped talking.

"Uh, yeah" She handed the empty glass to him. After he collected the the chinawares, he put it on the sink and went back to the guest.

"Play it now, please?" Hino looked up to meet the walking boy's eyes.

"Okay." He agreed before getting his violin ready into his shoulder. Hino took the folder on her lap and set it open in front of Tsukimori. Soon he started to play it.

True, that the melody it produces wasn't so good. In fact, if you listened to it, it feels like you don't know whether Tsukimori was playing it right or not. But she believed he wouldn't give wrong example to her.

His beats, dynamics, syncopes, and rhythym was very exact, just like the one who'd practiced for months and ready for performing tonight. What a good sight-reading he got there.

Then the overtone. The way he played the bridge is very significant and when he finally reached the the overtoned part, he played it gracefully, beautifully.

Not so long, he turned back into the d-flat key but the air of his graceful performance still remained.

Suddenly he stopped and peered at the folder closely.

"What's up, Tsukimori-kun?" Hino asked curiously.

"Looks like starting from this part, you're finally playing the main melody."

"Playing the main melody?" she repeated, before realizing something. Playing the main melody means...

"...taking your role, Tsukimori-kun?"

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><p><strong>Hahahhaa..that's it for this chapter.<strong>

****Decided to end it here, since it's 3500+ words already****

****Please if you have something to say, don't bother to review or pm me.****

****Your assertion matters greatly, greater than you could ever ponder****


	4. Chapter 4: The Joy of His Family

**Oh** **ho, forgot to give intro to this chapter. Sorry guys :p**

**This is a considerably shorter than any other chapter I've uploaded. Shortest, in fact. sorry :(**

**I don't even know what title should I give? hahaha..so hopefully this title sums up the main point of this chapter**

**Tsuchiura's family member are all OCs, made up by myself, as the official LCDO has never mentioned them.**

**Normal Disclaimer, on with the story :)**

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><p>Chapter 4<p>

"I..what?" she squealed, almost shouting. Hino turned the upside-down folder back so she could see the proof. Her fingers traced the bars that Tsukimori showed and her eyes widened in horror.

Just below the word 'Tempo 1', suddenly the notes that were originally written in Tsukimori's part in the first bars appeared on hers.

"The repetition." Tsukimori mumbled.

"What?" Hino blurted, walking unto his couch to sit next to him.

"It's called the repetition." He continued, choosing to observe the latter pages instead of meeting her questioning eyes.

"What is it for?" Hino asked shortly.

"It's always used to emphasize the main part of the piece." He turned the page back to the last part he played and finally looked up to her. "And do you know what it means?"

###

Tsuchiura has just arrived from his soccer practice. He scrambled for the key inside his trouser pocket and shoved its body into the keyhole. Soon, the bold steel buckled and he walked inside the lawn.

After the padlock was opened, he walked to the doorway then took his shoes and socks off. As he opened the door, holding the shoes by his thumb and middle finger, the sound of piano drifting into his ears. Judging by the sound of it, it is certain that the one who currently playing is his little brother.

"I'm home!"

"Nii-chan!" Soon the sound of the piano stopped and Ryuu's little figure appeared on the small music room's doorway. Ryuu looks exactly just like Ryoutaro's miniature self. But the younger has black hair, instead of green, and looks exactly like his deceased father while Ryoutaro had his mother's features.

His face was crumpled and he was clearly frustrated on something.

Tsuchiura put his shoulder bag on the couch before walking towards his brother. The eight year old boy took his brother's hand immediately and dragged him to the room.

This music room was not as big as the one in Tsukimori mansion's. The majority of the room was filled with high shelves (Not so high actually. You don't have to use ladder to reach the top). And a piano was placed at the front side of the room.

The younger stopped in front of the piano and said, "Nii-chan, help me to learn this song!"

Slowly he shifted his eyes from his brother's pleading one to the piece he'd put on the stand at the back of the piano lid. It reads, 'The Entertainer'

"Which part that you can't play?" He asked kindly.

Shamely, he cast his eyes down and replied quietly, "I can't move my fingers fast enough."

Tsuchiura sighed inwardly. Everyone knew that this brother of his isn't as talented as he and his older sister. At this age, Ryoutaro had already played some difficult pieces such as Chopin's or Liszt's. The same goes for his older sister. Rinko was not as remarkable as Ryoutaro but she's a bright girl with determination and target to reach.

When Ryoutaro stopped practicing piano soon after he graduated from elementary school, she didn't follow suit and instead kept practicing to be a piano teacher just like her mother. And now she'd become one.

But this boy..

He's much more diligent than his siblings and he was eager to follow his mother and sister's step. But he lacks in talent.

Not only Ryoutaro, but also his mother and sister always have a soft spot for his brother. They'd never wanted him to be down and sad over the things that can't be changed.

"Maybe you haven't stretched your fingers?" The older reasoned, not wanting to push the talent matter further.

"I've been doing scales for ten minutes" he spread his fingers, showing how many minutes he'd spent. Tsuchiura sat on a chair placed at the right side of the piano and patted the piano bench next to him for his brother to sit on. He followed suit and Tsuchiura started instructing him to do some fingers exercises.

Soon, he asked his brother to play it again. True enough, he wasn't agile enough to reach the decent speed. And when he forced his fingers to pick more speed, his playing becomes very clumsy because they were suddenly rigid and awkward.

"I'd say you shouldn't take it on your mind." Tsuchiura suggested.

"Huh?" the boy looked up to him. He was very frustrated. Tsuchiura could read it in his eyes that he was also in the verge of crying.

"Your...The problem is that you always think this song is difficult, and…hard." He said pointedly. "So when you increase your speed, your mind says 'You can't do it' and suddenly you become nervous. And that what makes your hand rigid." Ryoutaro tried to make a convincing reason so that the boy wouldn't blame his capacity.

The younger looked down, suddenly the three pedals become very interesting for him.

"Lighten up, Ryuu-kun." He said, sensing his brother's frustration. When he said nothing in return, he decided to dismiss the subject.

"Come on let's repeat once again." He took the smaller hands into his calloused ones and put them back on the piano.

"I'm.." Ryuu suddenly mumbled in a very tiny voice.

"I'm not talented, am I?" he looked up in a demanding way towards his older brother. His eyes were as wide as saucers, watery and started to became red.

Tsuchiura gulped. This is it. What should he do to console a crying little brother?

"It's not like that, Ryuu-kun. In music there was no 'talent' term. All you have to do was keep practicing hard and...eventually your skill would increase."

"But..you'd never practiced. Nee-chan, too, doesn't have to try so hard to master a very hard piece.." He sniffled and looked down in shame and distress.

For the first time in his life, he wished he was not born as a prodigy.

"Come on Ryuu-kun." He tore a sheet of tissue from a tissue box nearby and dried his brother's eyes.

"Big boys don't cry." He cooed.

"But.."

"Come on, you're not in the mood for this." He cut suddenly, not wanting to discuss the matter further. He was not good at comforting, let alone become a teddy bear to hug.

"When I'm stuck like this, I usually let it be and stopped practicing the piece for the day." Ryoutaro said. The boy looked up, became interested in his story and silently asking him to continue.

"The next day, suddenly I could play it well."

At this, the boy's ears perked in curiosity, "How come?"

He shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe during the night's sleep my brain cells go to the piano and practice the piece." He joked.

The little boy laughed a little and quickly snatched the tissue in his brother's hand and wiped the remaining tears in his eyes.

"You wanna eat?" The older offered, silently trying to remember the amount of money he had left in his wallet.

"Not really." he set the piece aside then took out and opened an orange-covered book.

"Let's work on my lessons instead."

"Czerny?"

"This book is almost finished." He said proudly over his accomplishment.

"I've reached ninety one from a hundred!"

"But Kaa-san only selects two or three out of ten." Ryoutaro was back into his argumentative self.

"But still!" The little boy defended himself. "When I master Czerny, it means I have at least one composer's works done."

Tsuchiura blinked, then laughed mockingly.

"What?" His companion responded.

"Czerny didn't make only one book, squirt." He pinched his brother's plump cheeks.

"Hey, stop calling me that!" He protested in embarrassment. His cheeks flushed and Tsuchiura was tempted to pinch them. "You lied!"

"Of course not!" Tsuchiura stood up and reached for a high shelves that was placed near the piano. Not long he pulled some exemplars of books and immediately threw them to the boy's lap. The books were all orange-covered with the title 'Czerny' on the front cover.

"Kaa-san bought the same books!"

"No." Tsuchiura gruntled. Look inside.

"Oh!" The boy exclaimed in awe once he opened the contents.

"That was the word 'Opus' for, Ryuu. To differentiate one exemplar to another."

The boy didn't reply for he was busy looking at the pages of the books.

Then out of nowhere, he suddenly closed the books and put them aside.

"Listen to me." The boy flipped his Czerny book open and searched his current lesson. Almost immediately, he started playing it. Tsuchiura took his seat back and tugged a proud smile on his face. This boy was very strong-willed. That was what made him interesting.

His smile dropped slightly as his brother suddenly made a mistake.

"Sorry." He muttered, and then repeated the wrong part before continued playing the number until it reached the ending bar.

The brothers continued their 'tutoring' until their 'beloved' Nee-chan came home.

"Hmph!" She snorted loudly, making both boys looked up and the piano sound abruptly stopped, only to see her standing at the doorway snuffing the air around unceremoniously.

"I smell stink right here..." she said with a hint of teasing.

Tsuchiura parted his lips to send a retort to the glassed girl but she was faster than him, "Oh! I know! It's coming from your sweaty-stinky-stenchy body, Ryou-kun!"

"Stop teasing me will ya?" Ryoutaro growled on reply

"Nope! Too much fun!" She replied cheerfully then added slowly, "But that's true."

The youngest burst into laughter as his brother was defeated completely while the object of his mirth glared at him playfully.

"Don't you have something better to do?" He asked with a hint of dismissal.

"Nothing's better than teasing my 'big' little brother." She approached her siblings and sat next to Ryuu on the piano bench.

"What about your private students? Don't you have any?"

She circled her arms on Ryuu's shoulders before answered slowly, "I've done with Yuuji, Lisa and Shigure. But Kobayashi asked to reschedule for tomorrow."

"Come on, Ryou-kun, you smell so bad." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's 5.30 and you haven't taken a bath!"

"5.30?" He glanced upwards and the clock on the wall said the same thing.

"Oh no, damnit!" He scrambled from his seat and quickly run to his bathroom.

"Nee-chan," The little boy called, "I haven't bathed too, why didn't I stink?"

"He's always playing football till he sweated like crazy. Now, let's take a bath also."

Soon after Ryoutaro finished putting on his clothes, he threw his dirty one to a washing bin and proceeded to go back to his room. Remembering he got some homework he ought to do, the teen started working on it until he heard, sometime later, Okaa-san's voice drifting from the front door, announcing her arrival to the house.

"Okaa-san!" Ryuu childish voice was what he heard next. Soon after, they started to have a conversation that was indistinct enough for Ryoutaro's ears.

At seven, Okaa-san's voice once again carried through the air, calling three children of hers to gather up for dinner.

At first only the youngest showed up to meet up their mother's call, but after some time, Ryoutaro and Rinko followed suit.

"Are both of you busy?" Okaa-san asked, looking up as she set the meal to the center of the table.

Tsuchiura Shizui, their mother, was a piano teacher. A role model and teacher for her own children, as she is widely known.

She got a piercing wood-brown eyes, just like Ryoutaro's but raven hair that was descended to her first and third child. Her hair was middle-back long and this time, it was made into a high ponytail. Her face was still beautiful eventhough she wasn't so young anymore. She was entering the age of fourty five even though her face said otherwise. She looked like she was still on her mid-thirties.

The teacher was known as a close colleague to the famous pianist, Hamai Misa. They often performed together in some big occasion such as independet day and a world-class hotel's anniversary. But she chose not to be a performer and become a teacher soon after her husband's death. To spare some more time for her children, she always said.

"Not really." Ryoutaro answered. "I got some homework to do and it's almost done by now."

"I have some assignment to do too, but it can wait."

"I don't think Business School Student like you would be so busy." Ryoutaro sneered.

"Shut up, Ryou."

"What's today's dish, Kaa-san?" The youngest asked.

"Mmm...Sukiyaki."

"That's my favourite!" her two eldest children exclaimed. Both looked at each other for a moment then laughed.

During the dinner, suddenly Tsuchiura's home phone rang.

"Let me." Ryoutaro excused himself. He ran to the living room and picked up the phone before it stopped ringing.

"Hello?"

"Um, Matsumoto-san, you see-"

"Excuse me." Tsuchiura cut the person's sentence. "Apparently you've dialed the wrong number."

"But this is Matsumoto's, right?" A woman's voice drifted through the line, trying to prove herself right.

"No, It's Tsuchiura's." And without any saying, he cut the line off. Quickly he went back to his little family gathering.

"Wusshat?" asked Rinko with her mouth still full.

"Wrong number."

"Ryoutaro-kun, is it true that you've gotten the piece for the competition?

At instant, Tsuchiura's action stopped for a while as his brows perked in curiosity. How could she know?

He glanced at his sides. It must be Rinko that told her. She must have opened his folders and found it.

"Your teacher called me earlier." The mother said, as if reading his son's mind.

"Who?"

"The one who's from the music department. Kanazawa."

Again? He'd just called Kaa-san when we agreed for joining the competition. Why should he inform Kaa-san for every little progress we've done? I'd prefer Kaa-san not knowing it.

"What did he say?"

"Well, he's just telling me about it. And maybe if I could supervise you over your practice."

Oh no, just what I need...

"And what did you said?" Rinko urged her to continue. She was obviously waiting for the agreement between her mother and the teacher.

"So I said I'll help and make him practice everyday."

Ryoutaro glared at the satisfied sister while the aforementioned sibling smiled cynically.

Actually after the age of twelve, he never practices piano daily. Just once or twice a week. Even when he said he practices everyday to Hino, he'd actually lied to create a reason why he could play this well. But with this upcoming competition, his mother surely would force him to practice

practice

practice

and practice. Huh...

"Show me the scores after this. I'll help you decipher the dynamics."

He scowled.

Oh yeah, he thought. Let the torture begin..

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><p><strong>This is it guys, please review this story so that I can know what you think of this :p<strong>


	5. Chapter 5: On to the First

Dear readers, I'm sorry for waiting, but here is a new chapter (unedited, unbetaed) so if everyone find a mistake you can pm me ;)

This chapter might confuse you. So make sure to read it carefully (slowly if needed). But if you are rather prominent in using the internet and messenger, then this should not be a problem..

Anyway, enjoy. Normal Disclaimer applied

* * *

><p>Chapter 5<p>

7.30 pm

Tsuchiura threw his body on the bed of his bedroom. He sighed in contentment as the gentleness of the quilt seeped into his battered body. He glanced at the clock on the wall and snorted in distress.

Two hours.

He'd been tortured for almost two hours by none other than his own mother. Never had he practiced for that long in his teenage years. Kaa-san can be a real pain sometimes, He thought.

Tsuchiura Shizui was known as a gentle and caring mother. But when she was faced with a lazy and incompetent student(read: could have been competent), she could change 180 degrees different.

* * *

><p><em>"What do you think you are doing?" The mother said out loud, making the distressed son stopped his playing and turned towards the mother who sat next to the piano bench.<em>

_"What? I'm playing the piece." He answered bluntly._

_"You aren't playing it. You're just testing it."_

_"So what? My teacher just gave this to me yesterday!"_

_"Yesterday? And what did you do after that? You practice it?"_

_He snorted at his mother's response, resulting a furious glare coming from her._

_She didn't know that yesterday I waited for that idiot elitist in the music room, fussed over like an idiot and I had to pick and carry that bloody Tsukimori to his home, and settle things with his mother before going home. And I was so tired, and-and she still asks me to practice piano?, He sulked inside/_

_"And where do all the dynamics you said you've known?"__The mother's pitch is still high, the better reason for her insolent son to react just the same way._

_"I've played it!__Doesn't it sound different?"_

_"No. I say you didn't even try."_

_"Oh come on, Okaa-san, don't be such a-"_

_"A what? You played it like it's a big burden and you just let the notes be. Everything you played is all forced and-and you're not decent enough to be an accompaniment for those violinists." Okaa-san lectured her oldest son, making him cringed in dismay. Somewhere outside the room, came a muffled giggle as soon as Kaa-san's long critics__ended._

_Tsuchiura snorted. It's obviously Nee-chan and Ryuu-kun. No, it must be Nee-chan who first start stalking on the tutor, then followed by Ryuu._

Now that he gazed the ceiling as he rolled unto his back, he remembered another thing.

Ryuu-kun. When has his mother scolded the youngest Tsuchiura just as she did with him? Never.

Instead, she praised for every little progress he'd made, encouraging him to advance further in his lessons.

He sighed deeply before closing his eyes. I guess talent determines everything..

Just as he drifted off to sleep, albeit still too early, his cellphone rang in a very pertinacious manner. He groped inside his pocket before taking out the said thing, not forgetting to read screen to know who the caller is.

"Hino what's-"

"Tsuchiura-kun!" Hino wailed right at the phone.

"Hino, just what are you thinking?" He said with a hint of irritation.

"Tsuchiura-kun, Tsukimori-kun forced me to play better than him." Hino told him.

"Huh? Why?" though he didn't need to ask that, because knowing Tsukimori, he would expect everyone to be as good as him.

"It's a long story." came her reply after some time. "Do you remember about the repetition for the first part inside the piece? That's the source of this problem."

"Eh? Don't say they shifted the main melody into your part?" Tsuchiura guessed right in the spot.

There was no answer coming from the red-haired girl until suddenly she replied, "...yes, that's true..."

Upon hearing that, he laughed shortly and urged her to tell him the story. So, she started to narrate her experience for him. Started from her visiting Tsukimori's house until she got home rather late because Tsukimori kept insisting her to repeat her playing. After the red-head finished, her voice was now more stable and the hint of frustration had disappeared.

"Happened to me too at the same time." He responded.

"What do you mean?"

"My mother forced me to practice." he retorted with a hint of bitterness. As soon as he said that, Hino took her turn to laugh even harder than Tsuchiura.

"Hey it's not funny."

"It is! I can't even picture it."

He snorted. But at least the mood was better than before.

"What did your mother said about your playing?"

"She said I play without feeling." he grunted. "And my dynamics is not apparent."

"But you're okay!" she argued back, finally going on his side. "But I don't think she'll do that too, Tsuchiura-kun. She's not that hot-tempered and pushy."

He groaned tiredly. "You don't know her..."

"I do know her." she insisted. I've talked to her once, months ago, when I studied in your house."

"She changes totally when she faces the piano." he reasoned grumpily. It didn't make sense now that he'd realized it.

"Oh, really?"

"And she changes totally too when she was faced with a-a-"

"A what?"

"A-" Tsuchiura's voice faltered. "A lazy...pupil..."

Hino burst into mirth as her talking companion blushed in embarrassment on the other end."

"Oh, one thing." he quickly found another subject to distract her.

"Hm?"

"Did Kanazawa-sensei inform your parents about...the competition?"

"Wait.." Hino said, trying to remember the co-related events, then continued. "Yeah, he once called my mother to ask permission allowing me to join the competition. But after that, he didn't phone my parents anymore.."

Oh damn you, Kanazawa. You'd intended to torture me like this from the beginning...

Unintentinally, he seethed at this. Hino who was listening at him asked out of curiosity.

"Hey, Tsuchiura-kun, what's wrong?"

"No." he quickly answered, realizing he must have made Hino confused.

"Hey, have you made the English assignment?" once again he succeeded in avoiding a bad subject to be asked.

"No. What task?"

"Recount text, the Biography one."

"Oh no, I forgot!"

"My class will submit it on Thursday. What about yours?"

"I..the day after tomorrow, If I'm not mistaken..." she answered.

"Tsuchiura-kun," continued her, "..may I do it in your house?"

"Huh?"

"Um..it's sort of... I'm having an internet crash down right now, so, well, I can't do my assignment.

"It's fine. Tomorrow then?"

"Yeah. Thanks anyway, Tsuchiura-kun."

He bid goodbye and shut the line off. Soon after that, he drifted off to sleep again. The difference, he no longer felt so tired and upset.

* * *

><p>The Next Day<p>

15:00

Tsuchiura placed his school bag on a nearby bench. He unleashed the shoulder strap from his body and took out his spare clothes. The soccer player was in a changing room where the athletes of the school usually use. The room was designed like a hallway, wide but not very long. Each right and left side of the room was placed with a rather high shelf of lockers while in the middle of the room, stood a long, headboard less bench. Some male students were there, chatting and laughing while they changed their clothes or putting something inside a claimed locker.

It was also connected to some showering rooms which were designed to be used privately. But Tsuchiura had never bathed there.

He had finished changing his uniform into his spare clothes when a short message came into his phone. The boy took his phone from his trouser-pocket and opened the sms.

_Tsuchiura-kun, _it said_, Im not comin 2 ur house 2day. My internet has recvrd,tx ,will u b on msn 2day?_

The sender was Hino. He quickly replied it then stuffed all his belongings into a nearby locker.

_At 8, but I cant promise. Ill contact you later._

With that, he shoved his bag and phone inside the locker and secured it with the given key.

"Come on, Tsuchiura, what takes you so long?" Yotsuma, the goalkeeper tapped him hardly in the shoulder.

"He's got a new girlfriend." someone responded, earning a series of laughter from everyone in the room.

"Ah come on, everyone." he sacked his locker key inside the shorts and went outside, followed by everyone. And soon, they started to hit the soccer field.

Never did they knew that one pair of observing eyes was there, keeping watch on a particular player.

Hm, so you're that 'genius', huh?

He smirked, a wicked smile played there on his face.

Nice to meet you, Tsuchiura Ryoutaro-kun...

* * *

><p>Tsukimori sat on the bed in his room, feeling upset and unsettled.<p>

Why did he come back into my life?

What did he want?

He closed his eyes and threw his body on the bed.

And now I have to choose..

"Damnit!" he banged his fist onto the fluffy bed.

If I choose to stay in my current condition, he'll soon start hurting everyone, but If I choose him over anything, then...

Then everyone's going to be alright...

Then no one will get hurt...

Then I'll be gone from everyone's memories...

##

_Yesterday,_

_"Len," Hamai Misa called her one and only son when he was eating the plain porridge as the morning breakfast. He was wearing his uniform, ready to go to school _

_She sat on one of the dining table, choosing the one placed next to her recuperating son._

_"What's wrong, Okaa-san?" Len asked. Her mother's expression was that of a troubled and it was unusual. He was urged to know the reason. And if he could, help her._

_"We got a big trouble, Len-kun.." she said exasperatedly. The mother then buried her face in her palms, looking like she was in the verge of crying._

_"Okaa-san? What's wrong?"_

_"He came back." she whispered slowly._

_"He? Wh-" his eyes suddenly widened in horror as the realization struck him. Memories he tried to erase from the past came back as he remembered what had the man done on him._

_Misa Hamai's eyes were red-rimmed and watery when she unlatched her hands from her face. Slowly, between hiccups and stutters she started to tell her story. By the time she'd done telling him, he was emotionally angry. But he decided not to show it._

_"If we d-didn't do as he sa-says.." she said after her story finished. "He'll kill everyone we care about.."_

_Len gritted his teeth at this. That bastard! What power does he get over us?_

_He closed his eyes and swallowed the lump in his throat as he tried to suppress the anger that was boiling inside him. Feeling a little success, he trusted himself to speak, "Maybe it's just an empty threat?"_

_"At first, we th-thought that. But..." she let out a deep sigh to compose herself before she continued, …Otou-san's car has been shot yesterday."_

_Len's eyes widened once again. It's true that he hasn't seen his father these days. Is he all right? Or..._

_"He's all right. The shots were all m-missed, but that's a si-sign he's not hesitating to kill.."_

_"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he regretted saying it as soon as the sentence escaped his lips. He sounded so cruel, like blaming her for her mistakes. It was like a hard slap for his mother in a situation like this._

"_I'm sorry, Len-kun." She sobbed harder. "You were...you were that sick y-yesterday...I thought they killed you after they failed to do it on Otou-san...when your friends brought you home like that..."_

_Misa broke into tears as she hugged her only son. The boy neither resist nor hug back, just sit there engulfed in her mother's great sadness and anxiety._

_"Don't go to school." she whispered during her hiccups._

_"Okaa-san?" he turned slightly towards his mother_

_"Please, just don't go to school...j-just for today. You're still in a great danger.."_

_He closed his eyes briefly before replied, "Okay, I'll stay at home today."_

That's the real reason he got absent yesterday. When Hino asked him about it, he lied so that she wouldn't get herself worried.

But now,

But now, what should I do?

The choice, the risks is in my hand..

* * *

><p>20:05<p>

Tsuchiura turned his computer on. He opened the Mozilla, entered an mp3 download site address, and while it was still loading, he plugged his iPod Touch's usb and started the iTunes. The windows messenger was automatically signed in whenever he turned the computer on.

Just as he opened the Mozilla again, the small conversation window of windows messenger appeared on the right, bottom side of the screen.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Tsuchiura-kun! Finally ol!

"Hino." he snorted. The soccer player tried to ignore it and worked on the Mozilla instead, but once in a few second, she sent something. Finally impatient, he replied the instant message.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Sorry, it ain't Ryoutaro-kun. It's his sister, pal.

Then she didn't reply for the next two minutes. Tsuchiura smiled, his little trick worked. But just as he turned his attention back at his Mozilla, she replied.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

A bad liar i see.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Tsuchiura-kun! You're right there behind the screen! Reveal yourself!

Oh busted!

Okay then I guess no other choice...

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

No offense, It's really me right now. How'd ya known?

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Of course, your sister won't talk like that. Esp on strangers

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Okay. You win. I lose.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Hehehehe...

Then she stopped sending any instant message. During those several minutes, Tsuchiura continued to browse with Mozilla until he suddenly remembered about the English assignment. He asked Hino about it in his messenger.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

What about your task?

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

In progress

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Who'd you choose?

This time, Hino didn't directly reply. Once again, he opened the Mozilla and clicked the link available on the page to download the mp3 he'd wanted.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Guess who.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Britney Spears

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Hahahaha

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

No, wrong!

He snorted, then typed.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

I don't know. Tell me.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

No, you do know her.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

And she knows you too.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Okay, I really don't know.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

You're no fun. Misa Hamai of course!

For a moment he stared at the screen, dumbfounded. He really didn't expect her to write about that violinist's mother.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Wow

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

But I can't find her birth date. She doesn't have an official site, apparently.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

What about yours?

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Haven't decided yet. Try Wikipedia

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Ok

Tsuchiura downloaded for one more mp3 before Hino wrote in his messenger again.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Hihara senpai's in!

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Really?

Tsuchiura then checked his online list. He was not available.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

No he didn't.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Yes he's! He signed in as offline. Come on, let me invite you in a chat room.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Ok

Then a notification appeared, saying that DiceRoll has just joined their conversation.

DiceRoll says :

Hi Tsuchiura!

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Hihara. What're you doing?

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Hino, is it available in Wikipedia?

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Yes! Thanks Tsuchiura-kun!

DiceRoll says :

What is in Wiki?

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Nutin', just a biography task.

DiceRoll says :

I seeee...

DiceRoll says :

Whose biography?

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Hey I found something strange!

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

What?

Then Hino stopped sending messages. The two boys were waiting curiously until she finally answered it in a newly opened window. This time, she made a personal conversation just between her and Tsuchiura-kun.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Tsuchiura-kun, do you know how old Misa Hamai is?

He scrunched his eyebrows slightly before answering it.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

No. Must be forties. Why?

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Not forties, Tsuchiura-kun.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Hey this is strange. Something must be wrong with Wikipedia.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Small chance. It would be corrected the second it was typed wrong. Wiki can be edited by everyone.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Find another source, if you don't believe

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Fine

Tsuchiura turned his attention to the downloaded items. He dragged them to the long-forgotten iTunes and waited for some time. Several files were converted into a compatible format, so it did take time.

Hihara, who was forgotten, sent him a message in the messenger.

DiceRoll says :

What's wrong?

Choosing to avoid any suspicious prejudice arouse, he decided to tell an obscure, yet satisfying answer.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

She found a wrong biodata and confused herself with it =)

While he wrote the message, the other messenger window dimmed. Hino'd written something.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Tsukimori-kun! That's true!

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

I found her facebook account and it wrote the same thing.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

What did it say?

Now that Hino wrote like this, it really made Tsuchiura suspicious. She was up to something, obviously.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

She was born in May 1978

His eyes widened simultaneously. Born in 1978? How could it's possible?

So…that means she's still thirty three...and has a son who is 17?

* * *

><p>Long chapter, 15 pages long but few words only.<br>One...two...three! Hurray! is the username for Hino's messenger while ++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ is the username for Tsuchiura's messenger while DiceRoll si Hihara's.

If you have something to say, you can pm or review this chap. Thankies!


	6. Chapter 6: The First Calamity

Thanks for Hercolanium, angel and may96 for reviewing my last chap. I did promise to update, but it seems I've forgotten

Yes, this story really got its twist. I think, I've even revealed some of the clues on the previous chapters, but it won't be fun if you've guessed it!

I've decided to end the mundane chapters (well, maybe the last three were too mundane for twist lovers.).

Anyway, enjoy the update of this story.

* * *

><p>Chapter 6<p>

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

She was born in May 1978

His eyes widened simultaneously. Born in 1978? How could it's possible?

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Now that it's 2010, she's still thirty two.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

You're not joking, are you?

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Of course not! Why would I joke in a time like this?

Doubting Hino, Tsuchiura opened the Wikipedia and searched for Misa Hamai. He clicked for the one that was apparently her biography.

And his eyes widened in astonishment. She did born in Tokyo, May 1978

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

I can't believe this.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

She's still thirty two and her child is already 16? How old was she when she gave birth for Len? At 16?

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Something must be wrong... My mom's forty eight. But she had her first child when she was twenty five..

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Wait, wait, check for her wedding date.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

What for?

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Just check. I want to make sure, maybe on 16 she'd married...

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

No. Her wedding date was in September 2000. But she got no child after the marriage.

Tsuchiura was back in his suspicion. Was Tsukimori an illegitimate child of Hamai Misa? How come? She is not a cheap woman, she has charisma and dignity. Impossible if she did sex with someone when she was only a high school student.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Hino, don't tell anyone about this.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

I won't...but why?

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

It's not a common thing to be talked open although many would have known long before we do.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Okay, but I'm very curious about this...

Tsuchiura didn't reply for some time. He was thinking about many possibilities for the answer to the Misa-Hamai young age. But he couldn't

Finally, he wrote something.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Don't use Misa Hamai for your task. You wouldn't want the whole class know about it

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Sure. I'll change

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

I'll ask my mother about this. She might know.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

And tell me later. Let's back to Hihara so he won't be suspicious about us.

At that time, the said senpai was writing something on the other window.

DiceRoll says :

Hey everyone! Where are you?

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Sorry. Busy on our assignment.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Yeah. But mine's almost done. Yay!

Tsuchiura sweatdropped, what a good liar she is...

DiceRoll says :

I c...

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

What about the next piece for the competition, Hihara?

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Yeah! Done yet?

DiceRoll says :

Nope. Not yet. We just made it until the middle part of the song.

DiceRoll says :

Next week, maybe.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

I want to complain!

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Hino?

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Why did you suddenly shift the main melody into my part?

At first, Hihara didn't send anything until the next minute. Then finally he said something

DiceRoll says :

Hahaha...

I made it like that so you could live through how it feels to be the lead player.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

Senpaiiiiiiiiii...TT

DiceRoll says :

I'm sure you can, Kaho-chan.

At first no one approved my idea, but when I show them the documentation videos of the concour, they believe in you.

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

Also, the commitee would ask for the partitures.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

What for?

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

If the performers didn't get to play the equal difficulties, there would be some minus points for the team.

DiceRoll says :

Oh really? How'd you know?

++unlimited++untamed++unconquered++ says :

My mother told me. One of her students once joined this competition a few years ago.

DiceRoll says :

Ah I see. That's why Kanayan asked us to make several bars of the piano playing solo.

One...two...three! Hurray! says :

If that's the case, I think I'll try n do my best. Hehe... Thanks guys!

They continued to chat after that. But no one brought the Tsukimori subject on to be discussed. Closing to nine, they all signed off and went back to their own activities.

Deep down, the second-year students were still curious about the new fact they'd just found.

"Kaa-san." Tsuchiura asked her mother the day after. He got up rather early so that he could have some time to discuss this case with her.

After taking a bath and getting himself ready, he headed downstairs to meet his mother. She was, right now, cooking in the kitchen while he patiently sat on the dining chair.

"Why is Misa Hamai that young?"

As soon as he spoke that, an expression of anxiety crossed her features.

"How do you know?" she finally asked after some time.

"It's written in Wiki." he stated it so his mother could relent and tell him the truth. When it's written in Wiki, it's not a secret anymore, right? No use of being so secretive about it

His mother sighed before slowly opened her aged eyes.

"We used to be student and teacher before she went to a music college in Austria."

"Oh?" he questioned, "So you're not former partners? Like what people assume?"

"No. But we've played in recitals once-or twice, maybe. But it's been a long time." she reminisced, then looked back at her oldest son

"And that child was always there whenever we played together. He grew very attached towards his mother." She continued.

No one said anything as the mother and son looked knowingly towards each other. Both knew nothing to say but so much was told just by looking at each other

"I'm sorry, Ryoutaro-kun, but it's not a thing that we can discuss. This matter is indeed serious and private." Shizui's face looks so serious, yet so sad. She did know something about them, but she didn't want to tell him. For a moment, both of them said nothing. The mother took a ladle from a nearby cupboard and took some from the pot for his son's breakfast.

"I've promised her not to tell anyone." she added, then took out some rice from a rice cooker placed next to the cupboard.

"Even to your own son?"

She bit her bottom lip and put the big spoon to the original place.

"Even to my own son. I'm sorry." she looked at him and smiled sadly. For some time, he just looked at the seriousness in her eyes. Somehow, he could understand this. The mother then broke the silence and put the plate in front of the boy.

He dipped the spoon and tried his mother's soup. It was as delicious as always, so natural without any instant flavoring.

Soon, he finished it and went for school.

"Okay then, Okaa-san, I gotta go." he greeted. He was heading towards the front door when his mother finally responded.

"That child will tell you himself when it's time. When he finally trusts you."

Tsuchiura cast a small smile on his face before waving to his mother once again and closed the door.

Okaa-san's true. I have no right to know anything about it. It wasn't my concern from the beginning.

Maybe, he sighed as he looked unseeingly to the quiet street around, I was intrigued by the fact that Misa Hamai gave birth to a child at her teen age. After all, I was the one who told Hino to stay away from his business. Now what'd I do?

He pursed his lips as a determination set in.

I'll tell Hino about this.

###

"Kaho-chan," Nao walked over and sat on the empty chair in front of the violinist. Hino's head was buried in the folds of her hands as she slept peacefully. The short-haired girl kept calling Hino's name but she was still oblivious to it. Finally, she shook her best friend's shoulder as her last attempt.

"Kaho-chan, someone sent this." she put the said thing on her head. It was some sheet of paper, joined with a staple on the edge.

Slowly Hino opened her eyes and took the thing from her best friend's hand. She scanned it wearily with her sleepy to see what this disturbing paper is. And it widened simultaneously.

"What? The next piece?!"

This made the girl who sat in front of her also jumped in astonishment.

Of course, it's almost been a week since the first piece was given. Her playing was getting better day by day, but she still can't play very well. Sometimes some mistakes were made but she'd never given up and continued to practice every day. Even though tests and assignments were given almost everyday, Hino could still manage to spare some time for practicing.

Last Friday, Yukimura-sensei suddenly cancelled their appointment, as she has something 'emergency' to do. She asked them to start practicing on her own. Later when they are already good, she would come to their practice.

But, not wanting to make Tsukimori wait for her to catch up, she proposed her idea that they should start asking Yukimura-sensei for tutoring them. Tsukimori declined, at first, but just because he'd heard that Tsuchiura had done it twice with Takamura-sensei, he decided to accept the idea. And this evening, they planned to start their tutoring in one of the music rooms after school.

With this piece given, they would have to practice individually more. Her hope that the three of them would soon start playing together seemed to be delayed.

Nao pouted at her friend's loud remark, and said, "Just what do yo-"

BOOM!

Suddenly a very loud boom echoed in the air. Everyone in the room stopped their activities abruptly and looked at the source of the sound. It was coming from the next building. Quickly everyone gathered behind the classroom's glass windows to see it closer. The source of the loud sound was coming from the next building.

The chaotic edifice was not used for classrooms. Instead, it was filled with laboratories, a very great library, and a cooking room. The building and the Gen-Ed one was separated by a small ground that was crowded when it's time to go home.

Soon, thick and dark smoke came from the second floor's door, indicating the exact location of the incident. It was the cooking room, a place used for the cooking class. The Gen-Ed and Music students use it as it was the only cooking room built in this school. Incoherent cries of panic resounded from the place as some students successfully made their way out of the building. Most of them were Music students, but few were Gen-Ed.

No one looked harmed although they were mostly ash-covered. But they really were in a great panic. Not only them, but the whole school was also in a great chaos. Everyone in the class was bustling loudly while some came down to the ground to look closer. All teachers abruptly stopped their teaching because of it. The securities and paramedics from the school clinic came out from their posts to aid the victims, bringing two stretchers inside.

Hino tried to identify the ashen students who'd successfully made their way outside. She recognized the Gen-Ed uniformed as members of class 2-5.

2-5? Hey! That's Tsuchiura's class!

She tried to find him for some time amongst the dirt-covered students. And he was there, in a rather pathetic condition. The pianist was a little ashen and in a state of shock. He was certainly one of the direct witnesses, judging by how he looked.

He was standing not so far from building, eyes seeing the fire in horror and speechlessness, unable to do anything. Although he didn't scream or running away hysterically from the building like everyone did, she still could tell that he was frantic inside. Knowing him for these months made her understands his non-verbal language.

The school ground was now filled with many students trying to see the incident. A fire truck has just arrived, splitting the crowd into two sections as it made its way towards the building. Soon after, the waterworks started, wetting some of the closer students in the process. Some stepped back to avoid the water while the other let themselves being wet just to stay tuned at the incident. Not so long, some paramedics who had gotten in first came out bringing one of their two stretchers. And what made Hino's eyes widened was the one carried in the used stretcher.

Not only Hino, but everyone in the ground and class windows that saw it was taken aback in shock. All bristles quickly came into halt as the stretcher was brought outside. The one carried there was wounded seriously. Very very seriously.

Hino recognized it as a girl because she was wearing a skirt. She was a Music student, judging by her remaining uniform's color. Her lower half was still intact and untouched, but her upper half was where it injured the most. The school uniform and skin was blackish and unrecognizable. Her hair and face were also burnt. Hino'd expected her to be already died, but she suddenly writhed in pain as the paramedics carried her as fast as they can. The small movement sent shiver ran down on Hino's spine. Her heart lurched in sadness as she realized the girl won't live much longer however she struggles.

Everyone in the class was asking each other whether someone knows who the unfortunate girl is. But because she wasn't in the Gen-Ed classes, no one knows.

Hino was not as curious as everyone, but when she saw that Tsuchiura was still in his position, she got out of the class and ran towards the stairs.

"Kaho-chan," Nao called just before she stepped on the stairs. "Kaho-chan, where are you going?"

"I'm going down, Nao-chan." she turned and replied her best friend's question. "Don't follow me."

"But-"

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

When she finally reached the school ground, she saw everyone was already talking once again. Most were discussing about the poor girl.

Ryoutaro still remained in the place where she saw him through the class window. He was not as shocked as before but he's obviously affected by it.

"Tsuchiura-kun."

"Hi-Hino?" he looked at her in sheer astonishment, as if she did not belong there.

"Tsuchiura, are you okay?" She took a better look at his face, "What happened?"

"I'm-I'm fine." he swallowed hard, trying hard to regain his composure now that he was talking to someone. It was very noisy around. They have to talk louder, almost shouting, actually, to be heard.

"Tsu...mori's..as..ex...oded." he said loudly.

"What?" she protruded her head closer to his. He, too, also bent lower so that his voice could be heard.

" Tsu...mori's..as..ex...oded!" he repeated, but she couldn't hear it clearly

"Tsukimori's gas EXPLODED!"

"Tsukimori-WHAT?"

Her eyes widened in alert and looked around in panic, trying to see the one and only injured victim once again to ensure herself that the student carried earlier wasn't Tsukimori. But the sufferer had already brought into an awaiting ambulance she'd just seen.

As long as she remembered, it was a girl, wearing skirt. But, Tsukimori-kun?

"HE'S OKAY." he said loudly at her, understanding exactly what's been worrying his concour friend.

"But-" she met his eyes. Hers held a very apparent anxiety about Tsukimori's condition.

"Listen, Hino, he's-"

"Attention attention." came a very loud voice from the Gen-Ed building.

The headmaster stood at the building's porch, taking advantage of its higher ground so everyone can see him clearly.

The aged man was using a megaphone to make his voice louder so that everyone in the schoolground could hear him.

Most of them looked at him but the rest kept talking to their friends as if nothing happened.

"Atten-"

Suddenly a very high-pitched sound followed as he tried to notice everyone. It came from the megaphone as a sign that he misused it.

Now, the schoolground was filled with a forced silent.

"Every student here shall go back to their respective classrooms." he said with his formal, authoritative language, "And follow the instructions you will hear from the central speakers."

Just as he finished saying it, everyone started to walk back to their classes. But just as Tsuchiura and Hino started to walk, the megaphone sounded once again.

"Attention please, everyone shall go back to their own classes," he repeated. Hino and Tsuchiura looked up to see the headmaster. But this time, someone stood next to him. He's the one who teaches the cooking class, Harajo-sensei.

"..except for Tsuchiura Ryoutaro from Gen-Ed School, class 2-5 and Tsukimori Len from Music School, class 2-A."

Hino's eyes widened as the short announcement registered in her mind.

What was actually happened? What does Tsuchiura-kun has to do with this?

And where's Tsukimori-kun?

Is he even still alive?

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><p>That's it guys! Review please!:)<p> 


	7. Chapter 7: Complicated

**Thanks for all the reviewers! You've guys are so awesomeee!**

**Now I would like to reply some of my reviewers**

**Hercolanium: ahhaa here is the update:) keep track dear. You are my loyal reader&reviewer. I love you**

**Devilish Dream: Yes, I do play piano ever since I was in the elementary school. I start to play violin in my high school, and learn cello in my first year of college. I know a lot of things, terms, composition, composers about classical music. I wish all of you would not be confused by my way of recounting the musical things.**

**I wish this story would satiate the lusts of mystery lover! Now on with the story:)**

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><p>"..except for Tsuchiura Ryoutaro from Gen-Ed School, class 2-5 and Tsukimori Len from Music School, class 2-A."<p>

Hino's eyes widened as hers and Tsuchiura's met briefly. He was a bit taken aback, but recovered soon.

"Tsuchiura? Wh-What-"

Now that she looked at her surroundings, everyone was looking for the two aforementioned. Some who stood close to them had already shot an accusing look at them.

Soon, everyone dispersed into their own classes. There was just Hino, Tsuchiura, Harajo-sensei and the headmaster on the porch.

"So, I assume you're Tsuchiura Ryoutaro from the Gen-Ed division?" the headmaster confirmed.

"Yes."

Just before the headmaster could continue, Tsukimori appeared behind the headmaster.

"Tsukimori-kun!" Hino exclaimed. She was very relieved, now that he's not damaged and still in one piece. The two teachers turned back to see him.

"We better gather in my office." the headmaster said, then walked inside, followed by Harajo-sensei and the students. As Hino walked, she looked around and realized that everyone who'd already back to their classes was casting a curious look at them through their classrooms' windows.

She resented the way they judge anything based only on prejudice, on how things look from the outside. Surely there would be mean gossips about this flying around among the students. This would slowly destroy her two friends from the insides…

Hino was very certain that the two of them wouldn't even try to harm anyone, especially their own friend. But for now, she ignored the accusing students and walked towards the building, silently wishing that the boys didn't know that they were being watched by the whole school.

Tsukimori and Tsuchiura were walking at her left, their expression were that of disturbed and curious. Hino then enggaged them in conversation.

"Tsukimori-kun, where have you been?" she turned to him.

"I..I'm from my class. Why?" he asked back. Somehow, Hino caught a hint of uneasiness in his tone as if he felt she accused him of doing it. Hino was taken aback and said, "N-no.. I was just wondering.."

He looked down silently soon after that, not bothering to look at Hino's eyes or engage in any conversation.

He wasn't in the mood to talk, apparently, Hino thought, something is also bothering him. I wonder what's it...

The headmaster stopped in front of his room and opened the glass door. He walked towards a long sofa and sat at the far end. The teacher gestured the students so that they sat next to the headmaster.

Hino was sitting next to the cooking teacher. At her right side, sat Tsukimori, then Tsuchiura, then the headmaster. In the current position, they were going to be observed in both sides during the interrogation.

Hino glanced sadly at her best friends who sat idly next to her. Tsuchiura was looking down, eyes glued to the floor but seeing nothing while Tsukimori simply sat there, doing nothing with his usually stoic expression. But somehow, they bore the same expression of distress in their faces. Just what does this case got to do with them?

"Hey-what's your name-, go back to your class." Harajo-sensei reprimanded Hino in disdain.

"No!" she retorted, "I want to accompany my friends."

"But you're-"

"It's fine." the headmaster quickly intervene the argument, then turned to say something to Hino.

"What's your name?"

"Hino, sensei."

"Okay, Hino, " he voiced the not-so-foreign name, "..I understand your request..and therefore, it shall be fine." he gave her a very friendly look, as if he was talking to his own daughter.

"This is just a mere interview, done by school and not an interrogation. But, you'll be prohibited for accompanying your friend in a real interrogation which led by the investigation institution."

Hearing the word 'institution', the three of them were startled and raised their head at the headmaster's direction.

"H-Hai, sensei.." she replied, voicing her friends' obvious answers.

"Good." he smirked at her. "Now, would you tell me what exactly happened?" he turned towards the boys.

No one talked for a moment. Both boys looked down in silence, either lost in their own thoughts or trying to compose what to say.

The headmaster, knowing this wouldn't go anywhere turned to the cooking teacher.

"Actually I don't know either what exactly happened. All I see from the front is that Mori tried to lit her portable stove and-"

"Mori?" Hino repeated. Suddenly the realization struck her. Her eyes widened in horror as the fact was being told in the air. Feels like hot knives were being stabbed at her heart in an unmerciful manner as the images of the unrecognizable girl was actually the one she loved dear.

Things that she saw through the window played back in her mind as her eyes widened in horror. The sadness that she felt when she was standing right there doubled tremendously.

Mori...her loyal accompanist in the second and third selection in the school concour...was rendered that incapacitated and in the verge of death..

"Hino, are you all right? You can go back to class if you-" Harajo-sensei said. He relented at the sight of the sorrowful girl.

"No, no I'm fine." she cut him immediately and looked up to meet his eyes. Unexpectedly she felt something run down on her cheeks, and touched it. It was water. Tears.

She quietly wiped all of the remaining tears and stopped the weeping before it got worse. Tsuchiura put his hand on her shoulder, but not hugging her, as she, too, was not leaning into his chest. It was a silent offer of consolation.

"Is that all, Harajo-sensei?" The headmaster continued.

"Yes, that's all."

"But I remember you asked me to gather these students. Any reason why?"

"Well, maybe the two of them could elaborate something?"

Tsuchiura, who just recently started to follow the conversation put his hand down and decided to reply after glancing at his side only to see that the violinist still kept his head down.

"It started when I looked at Tsukimori's portable gas...and found it's..intriguing.."

Flashback

The bell had just rang, as a sign that the second period was over. The students of class 2-5 in the big cooking room started to pack their things and cleaned the used utensils in the available faucets. The room was designed huge because every student got their own place to cook. In the right side of the room, some water taps were placed along the way from the front to the rear. Long kitchen tables were positioned in the middle of the room. Each can be used for 5-6 students. The one at the front was occupied by the teacher which by this case, Harajo-sensei.

The students of the next class, which apparently class 2-A of the music division, was starting to come and take their own places.

Tsuchiura put the cleaned utensils in the cabinet under his table and packed his portable stove back to its place. Someone took the place next to him and opened the cabinet. He searched for something inside it. Judging from his hair and uniform, he was certainly Tsukimori Len.

Tsuchiura glanced at the prodigy and continued to pack his own things. Soon, Tsukimori stood back and put the things he'd taken from the drawer.

They didn't bother to say anything to each other, just working silently in their own.

"Tsuchiura! We'll wait in canteen!" one of the boys shouted at him, earning a glare coming from the teacher. It's not recess yet and going to canteen in the school hours are forbidden.

Finished repacking his belongings, Tsuchiura decided to leave this class immediately and go straight to the canteen. He was almost leaving the long table when he saw something obnoxious on Tsukimori's things.

"Hey," he called. The violinist looked up with his face stoic.

"What have you done with your gas can?"

In a glance, it was no different with the other, but when you look closely, somewhere near the neck of the tin, there was a peculiar twist that stretched from that part into the little cap at the top of the tin.

When he pointed at it, Tsukimori shook his head, "I didn't do anything." he said. "I left it here."

"Did it twist like this last week?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. Do I have to?"

Tsuchiura sighed in annoyance at the violinist's bleakness. Once he'd recovered from his whatever sickness, he was coming back into a resentful ice prince.

"Okay. Fine. Use mine." he opened his plastic bag and offered him his can.

"No."

Tsuchiura's eyes twitched in resentment. This guy...

"No, use mine." he took Tsukimori's portable stove and quickly set his gas on it.

"Hey-"

"Put it in my cabinet when you're done." he said quickly before walked towards the door. There were only several Gen-Ed students left and none of them used the kitchen cabinet again, so the teacher decided to start the lesson.

"Tsuchiura-kun." a girl greeted him while he was passing the tables.

"Mori-san."

"It's been a long time. How's life?" she cast him a small smile.

"Fine. Although tests were coming everyday."

She let out a small chuckle before gathering her attention back to the teacher.

"..now heat up a half litre of milk until it reaches 85 Celcius degree, then switch your fire off. We'll put the lactobacillus in together." Harajo-sensei commanded.

"Was your yoghourt done?" she asked him with her voice lowered.

"Not yet. We'll have to wait two till three days."

"I see.."

"Tsuchiura." The teacher called the Gen-Ed student. The boy excused himself from her and walked towards the not so pleased teacher. He wondered what did he want to talk about?

End of flashback

"Few minutes after that, while I was being reprimanded for not going to canteen, the explosion happened, and I am very sure that it was caused by that portable gas." he ended his long story. The headmaster nodded as a sign that he understood.

"I admit, I'm the one who made the hazarduos gas untouched by Tsukimori Len, but as to why the can could be given to Mori-san.." he glanced at his side.

Tsukimori who now felt urged by Tsuchiura's previous words looked up to meet his eyes.

He pursed his lips and closed his eyes before replying, "She asked for mine. Hers were empty and she didn't bring any."

"Then why did you lend her yours? Knowing that previously, you've been warned not to use it." the headmaster pressed, his tone increasing.

He just looked down. No expression appeared in that face. But Tsuchiura and Hino knew that he was deeply distressed by the guilt regarding this case.

"Tsukimori-kun..." she reached to touch his slumped shoulder. She wanted, so badly, to encourage him, but don't know what to do. He was clearly frustated by this thing and it was eating him.

"At first, I don't give it to her, but then she asked why." he paused for a while.

"I can't answer it. I said because Tsuchiura said so. She didn't believe it and..." he trailed off, not wanting to continue his story.

"So that's it." the headmaster said. "But what makes me wonder," he concluded, his tone showing that he was going to dump the blame on Tsukimori, "..is how could you give it that easy to her and not prevent it afterwards? Also-"

"What we have to be concerned, is not that, sensei." Tsuchiura stated sternly towards the headmaster, making everyone's attention turned from the violinist into him. He fearlessly stared at the aged man's accusing eyes.

He was, Hino thought, trying to stop all the blame going to Tsukimori's side.

No...he's trying to reduce, to relieve, even by little, Tsukimori's feeling of self-guilty.

"..it is why would such an explosive can could be placed at the cooking cabin."

Daring himself, he leaned forward and emphasized his next sentence,"...and the cooking cabin under the name of Tsukimori Len."

The headmaster was speechless to retort the pianist's intelligence.

His lips moved to form words but nothing came out of him. Finally after some time, he started to voice his words, "How can you be so sure that he didn't, deliberately, put the can himself?" the old man pointed his finger on Tsukimori in an accusing manner. His finger was unsteady, representing the impulsiveness in his tone. It almost made Tsuchiura release a punch on his face.

"You ask why? I see for myself he tried to place the explosive can on the stove. Are you saying that he tried to commit suicide?" Tsuchiura made his words sound as if the headmaster is a moron.

"The culprit made win-win solution about this." he said, voice steadier. "If Tsukimori blew the explosive off, then all evidence will be gone and everyone would think Tsukimori's trying to commit suicide." he looked at everyone's eyes before continuing, "But if the situation turned like this, then he would want all accuses fall into Tsukimori."

It's clear that the headmaster was looking for a quick solution for this case which, apparently, pointing all the accusations on Tsukimori.

Hino stole a glance at Tsukimori and shocked at something that didn't belong there; fear.

Deep inside his stoic bullion eyes, the fear was apparent. He was clearly afraid of something.

What? Hino mused, maybe all the suppositions that the headmaster had said? But with Tsuchiura stating all the fact, he should have known that the headmaster would be the one in losing side. Just...what?

"Now that we thought about it," Harajo-sensei said, breaking the idleness, "...Tsuchiura's true. The source of this incident is the explosive can." he said after some time.

"But Tsuchiura, you've tried to convince us all this time that someone was behind this. How could you be so sure? How about if the can was dented by accident?"

Tsuchiura was silent for a while as he gather his thoughts to reply this. Hino became slightly tensed; fearing that he won't be able to retort Harajo-sensei's words.

Then of all sudden, he started to speak, "It was not dented. The can was likely marked by a corkscrew."

"A corkscrew? But what for?"

"It seemed like he was putting something inside the gas can. Something that most likely would... cause explosion."

"You're assuming too much!" the principal said in a high voice.

"...and I still remember clearly about the mark near the lid. It was not something made of accident or falling." he elaborated, didn't care with whatever the headmaster was saying and keep stating the fact for Harajo-sensei..

Everyone was silent regarding the convincing fact that was said by the soccer boy. Even the headmaster was taken aback by this teen's role on the case. They wouldn't, he realized, go this far without him stating the truths no one else knows.

Suddenly Harajo-sensei turned to face his superior, "If it's true, Sensei, we'll have to check the CCTV to see who might have done it and-"

"Excuse me." a man, apparently a security personnel opened the glass door.

"Inspector Kaname and team from the Investigation have come."

The headmaster nodded in understanding and replied, "Okay, ask him to wait at the school lobby for a minute. I will meet them soon."

After the security excused himself, the headmaster briefed the students quickly.

"Apparently the Investigation team has come. They would certainly interrogate both of you regarding your involvement in this matter."

"Will they stay at the police's office?" Hino asked, worried that both of her friends would be treated like a real culprit.

"No. The interrogation would be held here, at school. And since both of you were still under-age, you will be accompanied by an adult during the interrogation. I will tell them about our little discussion earlier before they interrogate you."

"Okay. Thank you, sensei." Tsuchiura said and shook the headmaster's hand. Despite their argument before, Tsuchiura still managed to be a professional.

"And Hino." The old man turned to her. "This time, you're not allowed to be with them during the interrogation."

"Yes, sensei."

"Go back to your class and follow your homeroom teacher's instruction."

"Homeroom teacher?"

"I've dispatched the teachers into their own classes."

"Okay then, I'll be back, sensei." she stood then bowed slightly at the man. Before she left the room, she stole a brief eye contact with both of them, silently encouraging them keep their head up on through the interrogation.

Hino walked slowly on the empty hallway, mind going elsewhere. Her feelings were that of unexplained, worried, yet very very sorrow.

Worried that the interrogation wouldn't go well and her two friends would be considered as the culprit of this case, sorrow that she can't make sure that her ex-accompanist was still alive or not. With the blackish-burned skin adorned her whole upper half...

She grimaced. Tears that was almost spilt earlier at the headmaster's office was now visible in her eyes, threatening to fall.

The girl leaned against a nearby wall and heaved a long sigh before wiping the tears with her sleeves.

Mori-chan...

These things was painfully gnawing her heart.

No one should have been hurt...

Feeling like her face was not dampened anymore, she turned into the corner to go upstairs and reach her classroom.

Once she was there, everyone started to ask questions on her.

"Hino, what-"

"What-"

"Did Tsukimori and Tsuchiura-"

These idiots! Didn't they know that all I need is silence?! They buzzing like this is not helping at all and in fact, making things inside my head got worse..

"Class..." the teacher said out loud, successfully silencing the bristling students.

The teacher then sat on the seat in front her and start asking questions the students would want to know.

"Hino, how was it?"

"It was fine." she she said plainly, not wanting to disclose the matter in front of the people who got nothing to do with the case.

Remembering something important, she added, "Tsuchiura and Tsukimori is not the culprit. They were just not in a good situation."

Chorus of protests regarding her short, unsatisfying answer echoed through the classroom.

The teacher, not wanting the class to be louder, quickly berated them, and turned back to the redhead.

"Can you tell us what situation was that?"

This is it. I hate the way they pried information from me. Not only Tsukimori and Tsuchiura, but I was also thrown in interrogation. Just what does everyone want?

She scanned the whole class. Everyone was throwing a curious and impatient look on her, urging her to tell them the latest news. She frowned. Obviously, they would use that as a gossip matter later when this case, the most controversial thing in this school, was being talked.

But if she didn't tell everyone the truth, the things that actually happen, then they would start assuming things and here comes the false, yet convincing gossip.

In the end, there's no other choice for her in this position but to spread what really happened to anyone to prevent anything bad done.

"It began with.." she narrated Tsuchiura's story with a low voice, deliberately missing some details, especially the ones that cornered Tsukimori. Everyone strained their ears to hear what she was saying. The crowd was getting tighter, making the air around them hotter than before.

"...then shortly after, the explosion happened." she ended her story unceremoniously.

Some muttered to their nearby friends in response as the story ended.

"Hino, who's the burnt victim that we saw earlier?" The teacher who sat in front of her asked quietly. Almost immediately everyone repeated her critical question.

"Yeah. You forgot to tell us who she is."

Hino contemplated for a while. And now, all eyes were looking at her curiously.

Telling them the victim's true identity? That's too much! Are they that insatiable until such a trivial thing was being asked?

"She's...she's one of the music students." Hino avoided mentioning Mori's name.

"Who's she?" someone among the crowd blurted out.

She shrugged.

"Do you think I know?" she asked back, creating an impression that the question was illogically stupid.

Everyone nodded in understanding and seemed to buy the unsatisfying answer.

"But whoever she is, she wouldn't have much more time to live.." Nao said sadly.

Everyone nodded solemnly in sympathy, but not for Hino.

It was like those knives were pierced and twisted on her heart painfully, again. She felt so sorrow, almost making her shed more tears, but she kept trying to compose herself in front of everyone.

"According to your story, the culprit is one of the people inside this school." the teacher said, sorting out things about this case. Hino felt grateful inwardly. Mori's identity was no longer the discussion's subject.

"How come, sensei?" Nao responsed.

"Now, who would have known that the gasses were saved there?"

For a while everyone contemplated about the fact. Sensei's true, no one outside from this school would have known that.

"Why would the culprit wants to make such ruckus in this school? Did he have some private vengeance or something?" another student asked.

"But it's more likely that all he wanted is just sensation. And unfortunately blew someone up." the teacher guessed.

"Not only that," Hino elaborated, "I guess he also wants to-"

Hino stopped. Her eyes widened in shock at what she'd almost said.

Oh no. Why didn't I realize it earlier?

"Hino?" sensei asked her. Everyone was now looking at her with curious expression latched on their faces. No one spoke while all attention was thrown unto her.

Hino gulped.

Not good...I've roused their suspicion on me...I've better think about it later when no one was around...

"No, it's nothing, sensei." she cast a small smile. "Just remembered something. Nothing to do with this." she said the last part with her eyes cast on the table, silently wishing that they would be convinced.

Before anyone could say something, a voice suddenly drifted from the central speaker. The headmaster announced that all students were dismissed from the remaining school duties due to the earlier incident.

To avoid mass approaching her and pried information on the case, she went home by the gate at the back at the school, where not many students use it as a waiting place.

Hino walked briskly towards the one and only calm sanctuary she had; her home. No one, as she wished, bothered or stopped her during her way to home. With the keys in her pocket, she opened the fence and stepped inside.

"Kaho-chan?" Okaa-san who saw her daughter had come home asked out of curiosity, "Why had you come home? It's still eleven in the afternoon and-Kaho-chan?"

Her mother was taken aback by the expression her youngest child wore. Hino realized she must have shown her real feeling in her face. She refused to look at Okaa-san and meet her eyes. Instead, she bent her head low and keep walking towards her bedroom as though Okaa-san wasn't there.

"Kaho-chan?" the mother caught her by the shoulder, successfully halting the girl.

"What's wrong, dear? Are you not feeling well?" she put the back of her hand on the violinist's forehead. It was not hot..

"No, Okaa-san." she braced herself to look at those questioning eyes, "I'm fine. Just not in the mood."

"Something happened? Why have you gone home at this time around?"

She nodded mutely

"...an incident happened." she stopped for a while to gather herself composed in front of Okaa-san. She didn't want her to worry too much about this. It would slowly eat her away and Hino wouldn't want her precious mother to be like that.

"...and thus, students were dismissed earlier."

"Oh, Kaho-chan..." she hugged the shorter teen, "It must be something serious, isn't it?"

Hino was close to shed tears at the contact. Feels like her restless sould finally found somewhere to rest away and release all the pain that'd been building up all this time. But she refused to cry. After all, she'd never wanted her mother to be worried, right?

"No, nothing serious." she said with forced calmity, then pushed away.

"A portable stove got blown in a cooking class period. It burned some part of the room, but nothing more."

"Ah, I see..." Okaa-san cast an assuring smile, "That's why everyone had been sent home, right?"

Not only that, Okaa-san, instead, it's much more severe...

"...yes."

"Is it your class' period?"

"It's one of the music classes."

"Was it an accident? Or someone tried to play prank?"

Worse, she thought, somebody tried to commit murder...

"It's more likely an accident, Okaa-san.." she reasoned, "...happens a lot, but this went a bit out of it. Otherwise, it's nothing dangerous."

"Oh, is there any injured this time?"

Images of the writhing and burned Mori flashed through her mind. Once again, tears started to rush at her eyes but she desperately tried to stop it.

Please, she chanted non-verbally, please I've been so convincing. Just wait a little bit more until I reach my room and be alone. Please...

"No, Okaa-san, but the sound was very loud. It could affect the students' ears."

"But it's way much better than having the explosion right on your face." she joked, then chuckled .

Oh no, Okaa-san...what do you think you're saying? I know you tried to console me but...

Nonetheless, she tried to show her interest in her mother's joke by smirking a little.

"Okaa-san," she then said, intending to close the conversation.

"I need to go back to my room."

"It's alright. You sure are tired and frantic after all that happened in your school." the elderly woman said. She passed her mother and walked towards her bedroom.

Locking the door, she could no longer contain her sadness. She slid down the wooden door behind her back and started to weep there.

Mori...chan..

Why must the one wounded be you? No...no it's not happening.

She's the one helped me when I was down, and betrayed, and couldn't find any accompanist

She's the one who reminds and tells me what was wrong in my playing.

She's like the caring sister of mine...

And now what happened to her?

How'd she become?

I haven't repaid anything. Yet...

Chances of her being alive were not many. I hadn't heard any news about her. I didn't recognize her close friends too... I was...

I was helpless...and useless...

The girl brought up her knees and hugged them. She buried her head on that while silently sobbed harder, wishing that everything that happened was just a bad dream. A nightmare.

Not only that, she suddenly remembered, tears and the sad thoughts forgotten. There's something more behind this, that everyone missed. She almost brought that up when she told everyone in the class about the real story, and decided against it when she realized that blurting this out would be the same as killing a certain person.

And that certain person is Tsukimori.

She then started to sort the things out.

Tsukimori-kun's gas can was modified by the culprit and designed to explode greatly once it's used. Everything was done as expected; the gas can was untouched and safe during the classes before, until Tsuchiura-kun saw and decided that it was peculiar.

And Mori-chan, who got nothing to do with this, used the gas can without knowing the trap that was placed inside.

Yes, someone is trying to kill Tsukimori-kun.


	8. Chapter 8: The Aftermath

Dear guys, I'm so sorryy that I've been so busy and forgot about this story :'( It's been months, even, that I didn't update

Here's some reply to my reviewers:

Hercolanium: This is the update :) Keep reading and be patient with me :D

Devilish Dream: I have a blackberry hehe. PM me for my pin!

Chrystal: Thanks dear! I wish my story will satiate all of you

424: Yes, This story got some plot and I wish all of you would understand my writings, since I'm an amateur writer (but a professional fanfic reader :p)

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><p>Chapter 8<p>

18:00, same day

Tsukimori parked his car on the mansion's garage and died the machine immediately.

The interrogation had worn his body out vigorously. He was not that fit, actually. The boy, unknown to his parents, used sleeping pills to stop the nightmares he'd keep having. Learning from his experience of fainting in front of Hino and Tsuchiura, he realized that night time has to be used properly to sleep. So instead of mulling about the nightmare-the everyday same nightmare he'd keeping, he took a tablet and swallowed it. Then he laid on his bed, and the next thing he knew, it's already morning.

Such simple, yet unfinishing solution for his private problem.

He took his belongings; his violin case and satchel which were put on the passengers' seat and opened the driver's door to step out of the seat. After securing the car with the key, he got inside the mansion.

The big house was as silent as ever. None of the small family was home; his grandparents were on a holiday with their old friends. Mother had been away since last week for a tour concert, as an accompanist for the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. Father was, as busy as ever, taking care of his own company and would get home when it's nearing midnight. He didn't even get home, sometimes.

Tsukimori put the things on the couch and sat, massaging his burning temples with a sad sigh. So practically, the only one who welcomes him in the house is only the old servant.

Is this what we call a family?

He sat there, feeling tired of all sudden. He didn't, anymore, want to think about this problem. As uncaring as his parents could be, they were still way much better than them.

They didn't despise him; they're just...

I should be grateful...this is more than good, more than blessing...

But he still felt the emptiness inside.

I shouldn't add the burden they've already had...

It's too late; a voice inside him said as he remembered what mother had said yesterday.

Now they've already got a very big problem because of you.

And you could do nothing..

Nothing..

He was almost certain that the one behind this case was none other than the one who sent ultimatum to Okaa-san and Otou-san. This is just a realization of it.

During some part of the interrogation, something shocking struck his mind. At some point where he was asked to tell the investigator about the real chronology, he realized that the culprit's true purpose is solely to bring demise on him. But he failed and instead, it was turned to Mori.

All this time, everyone was focusing on the main victim, making no one realizes the real truth.

He sighed and threw his hand on the soft cushion next to him.

The questioning was very tiring. He was accompanied by his homeroom teacher while Tsuchiura with Harajo-sensei. They were interrogated at the same time, but separately; Tsuchiura in one of the music rooms while Tsukimori in one of the emptied classrooms.

His homeroom teacher was very unhelping; he didn't know anything about the case, but he kept adding and elaborating Tsukimori's answers. Then he would have to correct the talkative teacher all the time. But the worst thing is, he kept assuming that Tsukimori's the culprit and forced him to admit it. Very similar to what the Principal had done on him. Only at that time, Tsuchiura was there to defend him.

Oh how he wished...

The interrogation spent so many energy and concentration, leaving him utterly helpless in this living room; too weak to walk to his own room. Thus, he just sat there, laying his head on the back of the couch's top and closed his eyes, dozed off.

At first he slept through peacefully. His breathing turned slower and shallower with each he took. His lips parted slightly as wisps of air flew in and out of it.

But not an hour later, the nightmare started to come back at him in an alarming rate. Tsukimori's eyes scrunched shut as instinctively he tried to block everything that ran through his mind.

_"NO NOO!" the small boy wailed pathetically as a grown woman swung another blow to his battered body._

_He was cornered at the wall and floor, hugging himself tight. He tried uselessly to shield his head with his diminutive hands as another hit struck him. Tears streamed down his little, malnourished cheeks as felt the immense pain in his whole body._

_"SHUT UP!" the woman landed a final blow on his head-hand, and angrily threw the thing on the floor._

_"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! WE'D NEVER EVER WANT YOU AND YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN BE BORN, DAMNIT!" she landed a hard kick on his small leg. The kid whimpered in pain, but the woman kept pouring her anger on him._

_"Ma..ma..." he stuttered between kicks and hits. "...Mama...I'm sowwy..."_

_"SORRY?!" she stopped the abuse and knelt mockingly at the kid._

_"LOOK AT ME!" the mother forcefully deadpanned the child's face on her. "LOOK AT WHAT THAT BASTARD DID ON ME! IT'S ALL BECAUSE YOU CAN'T KEEP SILENT!IT'S ALL..."_

_The mother's face is bruised and battered. Black eye, swollen cheeks and split lip. All because of the beatings._

_The crazed mother continued to pour all her rampage on the little kid mercilessly. The kid was too scared to do anything, just looked at his mother with such scared eyes._

_Finally, after she'd been satisfied, she stomped off towards her bedroom, leaving the child hugging himself in the corner, trembling in depression and pain._

_If I'm unwanted..._

_Then why should I live..._

_Why should I-_

"Len-kun?"

He heard his name was being called. A woman? But who? No one cares. I'm unwanted..

"Len-kun?"

Huh? So this is real?

Slowly, he cracked his eyes open, grimaced as the unfriendly room's light seeped through his eyelids.

"Len-kun, are you alright?" he felt her hold on his face and turned it slightly; guiding him to see her. He blurrily saw someone crouching in front of him, searching his face.

He realized that he was still lying on the couch in the living room.

"O-Okaa-san?" he said, startled.

How could she'd be here? She's supposed to be playing in a tour concert, right?

His questioning eyes non-verbally urged her to explain her being here, "Actually, I was just arrived. I cancelled the last destination. I'm worried about you."

"Okaa...san..." he stuttered, slowly trying to recompose himself from waking up at the nightmare.

She moved slowly to sit beside her one and only son, and brought a glass of water for him.

"Here, drink this." she offered him. She brought it close to his lips and tipped the glass a little so that the water could go beyond his mouth.

Now that the consoling water ran through his chaotic insides, he realized that all this time his throat and mouth had been burning. He wanted to drink greedily, but that would surely worry Okaa-san.

Slowly he brought his hand up to hold the glass himself until it was empty.

"You want more?" she asked. He shook his head slowly, not wanting to bother her further.

He realized he was in the most awful condition ever; hair tousled, body damp with sweat, and the worst thing is..

"Len-kun? Why are you crying?" she asked softly. But her eyes told him that she was not only asking; she also felt whatever her own son felt.

Slowly he brought his hand towards his upper cheek and felt there.

Wet.

Oh no, I really cried.

"It..it's okay, Okaa-san." he assured. "It was just sweat. The room's too hot."

"But-"

"It's fine. Really."

She eyed him for a while and said, "Len-kun, are you having a nightmare again?"

Her expression was that of empathy-sincere. And where'd he seen those eyes?

Now that he remembered it, when he was still a little kid, he used to have the same nightmares. Every time he woke up crying in the middle of the night, Okaa-san would always be there to console him. Accompanying him, hugging him until he fell back asleep in her arms. Father was there too, kissing his top sometimes, to show how much care he got to his son.

Now he didn't want her to do it again. He'd been too much bother for her.

She took a sheet of tissue from the box on the living room's table and dabbed it on his neck and face.

Ashamed, he tried to take over the tissue and continued to do it himself.

"Len-kun," she started, "...I've heard..what happened today.."

He immediately stopped his hand and looked at her bullion eyes. Bullion, yet still differ greatly with his.

"Okaa-san? How'd you know?"

"Your headmaster called me this afternoon. He said you were involved in an incident that happened today."

He sighed, eyes meeting the floor. His mind flew back into the meeting with the headmaster today. Now surely she would have heard the headmaster's blame on him.

"It's fine." she assured as if she read her son's mind. The caring mother rubbed her son's sagged back caringly, "...i've heard his story. Now I would like to hear yours."

The boy looked up at her slowly. To see whether the hidden hint of judgment was there in her eyes. But no, she was not affected regardless of what the headmaster had said.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he began the story from his point of view. She listened at his narration silently until he was done.

"So...Ryoutaro-kun was also involved in this matter, right?" asked her when he finally finished his story.

He nodded slightly. By the looks of it, she was certainly planning to contact Tsuchiura's mother since they were old friends.

"There's nothing to worry, Len-kun." she threw him an assuring smile, but her eyes still hold the hint of empathy and...pity?

No. She wouldn't. Of all people, she's the one who would understand all his need, and the last of it...is pity.

But it was there! He was not hallucinating.

Len wanted, desperately, to erase it from his mother's face. To scream and kick her so that it would be gone. But no, he decided against it. It was so unlikely for me to do that, he thought. Besides, she's my mother. My one and only mother...

No.

Not noticing the turmoil which was going on inside her son's mind, she continued her innocent talk. This, time, for his relief, she talked about something else.

"Well, I might call Tsuchiura's mother later."

He nodded and silently rose from his seat, walking towards his bedroom.

"Len-kun, but we haven't done talking yet."

"But-"

"Come, there's something else we need to discuss."

Although unwilling, he compliantly walked back to his previous space and sat on it.

"Len-kun, is something bothering you?"

He shook his head almost instantly.

"Come, Len-kun. I know you are hiding something from me."

He looked at her for a moment. He knew what she referred to, but he tried to distract her as best as he could.

"This case is certainly bothering me, Okaa-san, so I would be glad if you'll excuse me going back to my room.." he stood abruptly, for the second time, tried to get away from her mother. He walked briskly for a few steps before she called

"Len-kun,"

She peered over his hunched back, "You haven't answered my first question. Are you having nightmares?"

He stopped short. Just this time, he chanted into his mind, just pretend to be strong, at least for this time.

He took a deep breath and turned slightly, "...nothing I can't manage.."

He braced his should-be-shaking feet and mustered himself to walk straight to his bedroom. He still could feel his mother's eyes boring into his back. Worried with her son.

But he ignored it.

He knew it was bad. Awfully bad.

But it would have to be the best for now.

Once inside his room, he closed the door and the mask slipped away.

For the umpteenth time, he cursed his existence in this family.

###

It was not long after the school bell rang, indicating that the school time is over. All the students got out from their classes and start to fill the hallway, schoolground and even canteen.

The previous' day's incident was still affecting the students, though not as great as before. Students seemed to stay not so close to the building. The police line was still there, open for everyone to see. Hino walked towards the school canteen to buy her lunch.

They are going to have their postponed practice now. Last night, Tsuchiura, Tsukimori and Hino made a telephone conference to discuss when they should practice. Tsuchiura proposed the day after tomorrow, for the day after, he would have two tests in a day. Hino refused, saying he only thinks his own business. The same test would be done in Hino's class the day after tomorrow.

They started to fuss over the small matter.

_"You know that I can't do well in Math and Physics, unlike you." Hino whined. "Just make it later. Next week."_

_"Are you insane? It would be very late! The competition is getting closer."_

_And they fought on and on..._

_Until at one time, after about ten minutes later, Tsuchiura remembered that Tsukimori was also in the line, listening to their bickering...if he hadn't cut the line already..._

_"Tsukimori? You there? What do you think?" Tsuchiura called._

_"Eh, I forgot we're in a conference.." Hino said, embarrassed. "Tsukimori? "_

_There's no answer._

_"He might have shut the line down." Tsuchiura muttered. "Hino, send him sms to call us back."_

_"Why should I? You're the one who-"_

_"I'm here." a deep, tired voice emerged from the third line._

_"Tsukimori-kun? Why haven't you say something?"_

_"Are you both done?" this time, it was clearer to hear the emotion in his voice. The usually cold, stoic one has changed into this heavy, angry one. Felt like he was ready to snap and burst._

_Hino was shocked. He's not joking. He's really angry._

_"Yeah. Okay. We're done." Tsuchiura said to help the situation, since he realized that Hino was dumbstruck by Tsukimori. "So what do you think? When should we practice?"_

_"Tomorrow. After school."_

_There's no more question or complain allowed in his voice. And with that, he clicked his phone down, leaving his two companions stupefied._

Hino was not looking forward for this practice, for she was afraid of facing the violinist. He might still be upset due to yesterday's phone conference. She sighed inwardly and approached her favourite stall, suddenly losing her appetite.

"Oi Hino-chan!"

She turned and found herself staring at a certain green-haired boy.

"Hihara-senpai!" she exclaimed in delight.

She quickly finished ordering her bento and walked towards him.

Tsuchiura was there too, sitting next to Hihara. He was halfway finishing his lunch.

She set her tray on the table and sat facing Hihara.

"First practice?" the older boy asked.

"Yup." she set her violin and schoolbag aside and started eating.

"Itadakimasu!"

"It should have been yesterday. But..." Tsuchiura trailed.

Everyone was reminded by the incident yesterday.

"It's a relief that both you and Tsukimori are no longer the prime suspect on this matter." Hihara said.

"How do you know, Hihara-senpai?" Hino asked between mouthful.

He winked, "That's what you got when you befriend teachers."

"How's her condition?" Hino asked.

"That, I don't know. She was still coma this morning."

"We should go visit her later." Hino suggested.

Tsuchiura thought bitterly, 'Yeah, if she still survive...'

"It seemed to bring great impact on Tsukimori, don't you think?" Hino said to the pianist. He quickly shushed her with his glare, minding the fellow trumpet player.

"What happened?" Hihara asked in response, luckily not catching the glare that emanated from Tsuchiura.

"No, he was just very silent yesterday." Tsuchiura closed the matter.

"I see.. what time does is your practice start?"

Tsuchiura and Hino exchanged glance.

"Tsukimori-kun said after school..." Hino said unsurely.

"After school? His time or your time?"

Then realization seemed to strike them both.

Kanazawa sensei had once said that Music student's school ends one hour earlier than General students does.

Then he'd already waited for an hour?

"We gotta be fast!" Hino exclaimed. "Poor him. He must be waiting now." and then she ate like a vacuum cleaner.

Tsuchiura sweatdropped.

Two minutes later, they were walking rapidly in the Music Building's hallway.

"I hope he wouldn't be angry at us for waiting so long." Hino said. "He was pretty hard last night."

"He should have known he would have to wait.

"Why won't you let me say about last night?" Hino's mind drifted off to the previous conversation with Hihara-senpai.

"He doesn't need to know."

"Knowing that guy, he would start meddling into Tsukimori."

"Is it bad?"

Tsuchiura reduced his pace and said slowly, "Tsukimori's not in his right mind. Somehow, he is strangely affected by this"

"He's always affected by occurrences around. He just doesn't show it." Hino argued.

"But never this much. He never let it affect the way he reacts to others. I don't know. He might know something and decided to hide it from us. Remember..." he paused, considering the other statement that he wanted to say.

"Remember, he disappeared shortly after the incident."

Yeah, Hino mused, We almost go to search him because he was not present on the schoolground for some time.

They both stopped to a halt in front of the desk that provide the list of used rooms that day. Tsukimori signed in their names and apparently he chose room number 12.

"Room 12...Room 12.."

It was not hard looking for the room. The voice of violin drifted from there. Smooth, yet still managed to be fast and loud.

He was standing in the middle of the room, his back facing the entrance door. The music stand that held his scores was there in front of him. Upon entering, the violin stopped.

"Tsukimori-kun! Sorry you must have waited long..."

Her apologize was met with thin air. Tsukimori did not even bother to reply. He set his scores aside and placed the competition one on the stand.

When he felt that the two still hadn't moved from their positions, he glared at them.

"Well? Are you going to practice or just stand there all day?"

The Gen-Ed students then got inside the room, Tsuchiura who trailed behind Hino closed the door firmly.

The girl prepared the music stand and her violin while the newcomer boy opened the piano and set his scores on it. He did some warm-ups by playing some scales.

She placed her music stand just in front of Tsukimori's and dragged a stray chair to sit on it. She placed the shoulder rest firmly under her violin and tested it by placing the violin on her neck. After it was done, she tightened her bow.

"You don't sit?" she offered the stoic teen who stood facing her.

He just shook his head without bothering to look at her. His eyes were deadpanned to the scores, busying himself with it. But Hino caught a glimpse of unexplained thing in his eyes. He looked weary and distracted, although he wouldn't allow them to affect his playing.

"Okay, let's start." Tsuchiura said, turned slightly to them, and quickly went back to his scores.

Tsukimori nodded to her and they started playing. Tsukimori's tone is very precise while Hino tried to keep up with it. The accompaniment was presented perfectly by Tsuchiura. Though he wasn't the lead player, but he would help them going smooth in dynamics. He could also play louder than the violins when it came to his part as the main melody. So far so good; no one played faster than the other even though the tempo's not exactly easy.

"You're totally off-tone." Tsukimori said after they've done playing the whole piece. It took almost six minutes to get it done.

"Uhm...I'm sorry" Hino muttered. Totally off-tone is such an understatement, she did well, but mistakes are just there on a few notes.

"Here," he showed her the bar where she started playing wrong. It was the part where she took over the main melody.

"Yeah, I got...nervous..." The girl winced. But hey, she thought inwardly, at least he started to open up...

Hino lifted her violin and started to play that part, accompanied by Tsuchiura.

"Is this better?" finished, she asked him almost immediately.

He just spared a brief glance to her and lifted his violin, "...let's start from the beginning."

And so, they practiced for an hour and a half straight.

"Tsukimori, Tsuchiura, how did the interrogation went yesterday?" Hino asked when they were packing their things to go home. It was almost 5 in the evening.

"Well it's done for me." Tsuchiura answered straightly.

"At least they stopped considering me a culprit."

"Do they call you again today?"

"Nope. They won't do it again until they find a new lead. What about you?" he directed the question to Tsukimori.

"Likewise." the ice prince answered curtly. Well, he seemed not in the mood to talk at all.

When the two of them still looked at him, he decided to elaborate his answer, "It went fine. Even ended before you do." he turned to Tsuchiura.

"They don't suspect you or something?"

"No."

This time he didn't bother to continue even when Tsuchiura glared at him. This boy...

"There's something I need to ask, Tsukimori. Where did you go soon after the incident happened?" he launched without even hesitating.

For a moment his expression changed slightly. His eyes widened and his position became slightly rigid. But as quick as it come, it disappeared almost immediately.

"That, is not your business." he replied with the same tone.

"Damnit Tsukimori!" he snapped. "You didn't even-"

"You are free to assume that the culprit is me." he challenged nonchalantly.

The room was once again filled with uncomfortable silence as Tsuchiura glared at him, gritting his teeth but made no sound.

The room tensed second by second until Tsuchiura's cell phone beeped.

The soccer player gave him a final glare before settling down to check on his phone.

"Hino, Tsukimori" he looked up. The traces of fury were still there, but he was settling his hand on the thing.

"Hihara just sent me a text to ask whether we could visit Mori tomorrow." Tsuchiura showed her his phone. There, on the screen, was Hihara's message.

_Tsuchiura-kun, r u still on d prctc room now?please tell Kaho-ch&Tsukimori if they could visit Mori 2morrw with other concour them what time can they .rep asap._

"Oh, it's fine. I'm free after school." she looked up to him.

"Tsukimori?" Tsuchiura had already typed a replying sms when he asked this.

"..."

When he heard no answer from the stoic violinist, Tsuchiura ceased his activity and looked his way. But he was astonished to see the other boy's pained expression when he just looked down on the floor.

Catching both of them staring at him, he quickly placed his mask back, but failed miserably when he started to speak, " I...don't think I should visit her..."

"Oh Tsukimori..." Hino consoled, walked to him and put her hands on his hunched shoulders, "It's okay. Everyone knows that it's not your fault..."

He just looked down, unable to lift his haughty mask on.

"Listen, sometimes things happen." she went on, "..and we can't prevent it."

"It's true, Tsukimori." Tsuchiura added as an afterthought, "Come join us. Mori will be glad to see you."

He fidgeted for a few moments. Then, out of nowhere he looked to them and nodded solemnly.

"Yeah that's Tsukimori-kun!" Hino exclaimed. Tsuchiura smiled at the situation and continued typing the message.

"Fine then, I guess let's call it a day." Tsuchiura slung his shoulder bag and took his iPod out.

Together, they got out from the room after switching the light off.

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading. As always, reviews are highly welcomed. Love you all!<p>

I promise I'll update soon


	9. Chapter 9: True Friends

**Hi everyone! This is a rather quick update, please review!**

**This chapter is not beta'ed...so error in grammar are likely to happen. Please forgive :)**

**Normal disclaimer, enjoy :)**

**Oh! And I've changed the cover of this story. It is also the cover for 15th manga. I think it suits the story the best, as friendship between the three of them is the main focus of this story.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 9<p>

They were walking on the empty hallway, towards the parking ground and the school's lobby. It was late and the practice rooms were barely used anymore.

_"It's okay. Everyone knows that it's not your fault..." Hino's words rang inside his mind on and on._

Not my fault huh?

Oh yeah, from your point of view, it would look like that. But you know nothing, Hino.

You know nothing of my role in this. Nothing.

_"It's true, Tsukimori."_

_"Come join us. Mori would be glad to see you."_

He smirked sardonically. You both are so naive. You never know how wretched and trashlike this friend of yours.

And when you know the truth behind all this, you would never want to regard me anymore.

I am grateful for your support for me yesterday, Tsuchiura, when we are in the headmaster's office. But you would regret it once you know the truth.

Because he is right. I do cause all of this.

It was all he took for not shouting to them that he was the one, after all, the rightest place to blame and punish.

As Tsukimori contemplated this, he watched his two companions talked on and on in front of him. Tsuchiura was listening to his music player in one ear. The other was freed. Then he said something and Hino asked for the other earphone.

Yeah, I was always the only one that left behind. It makes no difference because I was the foul one from the beginning.

He sighed in grief. But this was caught by the Gen-Ed students, for they turned their heads towards him suspiciously.

Oh well, maybe they've suspected me already. And all their affection was just for show.

But in the end that's what I deserve. I am a sinner, after all.

He halted. His bluish bangs shifted as he looked down until what could be seen in his face was just shadow.

The Gen-Ed students walked for a few pace until they realized that Tsukimori didn't follow them anymore.

"Tsukimori?" she turned. "Come. Why did you stop?"

Why do you care, you liar!

He almost blurted that out if not realizing that it won't help the situation at all. It would only made worse.

Having nothing to say, he just continued to walk to stop them from commenting again, purposely keeping distance from them.

The Gen-Ed students noticed that they were too immersed interacting with each other that they had forgotten the silent violinist.

They let him walk in the middle, Tsuchiura's iPod were no longer available for sharing, for he quickly rolled the earphone cable and put the device in his bag. He seemed to understood Tsukimori's serious internal turmoil.

Tsukimori was silent during the walk, something that's not unusual. His head was bent low as if he closed himself from the world around.

"Hey, Hihara-senpai replied." Tsuchiura turned to them, before reading his cellphone once again. They were already at the school lobby, ready to part ways. This sent them stopped for a while.

"...he said we'll go to the hospital at 5. Meet at school. Can you?"

Hino contemplated while silently asked Tsukimori of his opinion by the look she sent to him.

"I can manage." the violinist replied.

"Me too." Hino said, and turned to Tsuchiura. "...send our thanks to him."

"Okay."

"Oh, Tsukimori-kun, when could we practice with Yukimura sensei?"

"Do we need to?"

His question was so blunt, sending ripples of unease in her stomach.

"Um, the school had provided her for us. At least we should use her even it's only a few times."

"They are quite good." Tsuchiura added. "Trust me, I've trained with Takashi-sensei for two times already. Besides, the school wouldn't provide us bad mentors."

"Yeah, he could criticize us if we weren't right." Hino elaborated, glad that Tsuchiura helped her.

"Fine. Suit her schedule and we'll discuss ours later." he waved as a goodbye bidding, going straight into the parking ground.

"He's edgy." Tsuchiura murmured when Tsukimori was out of earshot.

"Eh? How do you-I mean," she swallowed before casting him a meaningful look, "I felt the same way, too..."

"He's...different. He hides something that makes him uneasy."

"Where did he go soon after the explosion happened?" Tsuchiura exampled.

"To class, he said." Hino answered.

"Yeah but who's so dumb to hide in class when the threat for the second explosion is still lurking in the air?"

Hino nodded. "Besides, the crowd is jamming the hallways. He won't be able to go in class."

Tsuchiura was silent at hearing this. He raked his greenhead before sighing, "To tell you the truth, it's been bugging me ever since he showed up on the Gen-Ed porch out of nowhere. But I just couldn't ask him further in front of the headmaster."

"He was roughly cornered yesterday." Hino nodded.

"He's definitely lying over something. But I just couldn't ask everyone, 'Hey did you see the famous Tsukimori in his class?'. They would accuse bad things to him if I did that."

She smiled, "Be patient, Tsuchiura. Sooner or later, the truth would be revealed."

He gave her a hard look, and laughed mirthlessly, "We are protecting someone, that we don't even know he's worth our effort."

"We are protecting our best friend." she corrected. She was not joking.

"Fine. I don't trust him fully. But I know he's not the one to harm anyone. That's what I believe when I back him up in the principal office."

Yes, he could look down on the others, dismiss them as only dirt. He could say those intimidating words, but he was not liable to do any crime.

He didn't even plan any revenge towards the students who locked him up in the wardrobe until he was disqualified in the second round of the Concour.

Behind the shell of a resentful ice prince, he was actually gentle and merciful.

"Now, you wanna go home or not?" he offered. She looked up at the reddish sky and nodded. It was darkening already and the thought of her mother bickering on her going home late really doesn't suit her.

###

"...yes, Sensei...yes...No, tomorrow we plan to visit Mori in the hospital, so I guess we can't...Oh...Okay, so you are free either in Friday after school or Saturday before five in the evening...Fine...We'll match our schedule and I'll call you later. Thank you, Sensei."

Hino clicked the phone off and quickly sent the other violinist sms before setting her violin for practice. She took out her long-forgotten new piece which was given shortly before the explosion happened.

"_Waltz of the Flowers_", that's what the title read.

She set it in her makeshift music stand made of pillows and started to play the tune. She played the violin two of the composition, making her, once again, unable to feel the real melody of the piece. She also couldn't know whether she played that right. The notes that were produced were very unpleasant and strange.

She lowered her violin and sighed, "I guess I'll ask Tsukimori's help once again...playing duet's really not my style..."

As if on cue, the other violinist suddenly replied her sms.

_I've got a concert on Saturday. So Friday after school is fine. What time?_

Concert? She wondered. He never told her there was a concert. He usually offered her a ticket (which she always accepts gladly) and asked her to be there in his concert. But not for this time.

"Oh. Well" she shrugged.

Maybe he was not too happy of my idea practicing in Yukimura sensei's tutor together with me...I'm not some kind of musician who plays great, after all...I'm not in his exclusive world..

Her mood for practicing was suddenly gone as she packed her violin case close.

She tried to console herself by convincing that maybe he was too immersed in his preparations that he forgot to tell her. Or maybe it was a concert that was not available for common people. Yeah, that was the most logical reason...

She replied Tsukimori's sms. This time he surely won't even bother to send back.

_After school. Good luck, then._

Then she called Yukimura-sensei to tell her that they chose Friday after school, as sending sms for her was not a very polite thing to do. While doing it, she flipped her music folder shut and decided to clean her room.

After Hino shut the line off, she decided to review her math test's materials.

She flipped her exercise book back and forth; but nothing seeped into the cracks of her brain.

It was frustrating; two hours had been spent, yet nothing she gained. The exercises and notes just don't make any sense to her. Everytime she tried to do one of them, the images of Tsukimori flew over her mind. She stopped herself from thinking of him and taking care of the task in front of her.

It happened on and on until she eventually gave in. Finally, she closed her eyes and laid back on the soft cushion of her bed.

She realized that she was distracted. Her mind, for the umpteenth time flew back to the blue-haired violinist, but this time she let the train of thought unterminated.

'What am I doing? Why do I worry about him?'

She reflected her mind. All in all, she should have been worried about Mori more than Tsukimori. But...why?

Yes, the incident yesterday brought impact on everyone. It does, whether you want to believe or not.

But this? What kind of feeling is this? Why is this happening?

She can't explain, but she felt like she almost burst out in frustration...

Oh God...Why do I worry about him the most? It's as if I felt he was in a big trouble...but it's not true, right?

She felt like she needed to talk to...but who?

###

"Ryoutaro-kun." the pianist's mother called for him. It was 6pm in the evening. She had just finished taking a bath when the home phone rang and she picked it up. The caller addressed her politely and asked her to give the phone to Ryoutaro.

The addressed boy soon emerged from his room. He was wearing a pair of shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt.

"Who?" he approached his mother.

"A girl." she handed him the phone.

A girl? Oh maybe it's her...

"Hello?"

"Um...Tsuchiura-kun?"

"Hino?" he recognized her voice. "...you must be stuck with math."

"Um...partly..." she gave a nervous laugh to ease the churning feeling in her stomach. But it didn't help one bit. Instead, it only made him suspicious.

"Something the matter?" he deadpanned.

"Um...yeah actually...It's sorta...you know, I've been thinking lately..."

"Hm?"

"Ano...um...actually.."

"It's okay, Hino." He suddenly understood what she had meant to talk. "I know, you've been worrying about...him, right?"

His words hit the target straight.

"Oww...I hate you for being so smart, Tsuchiura-kun!" she quickly laughed to ease the conversation and changed her forlorn tone. But both of them knew that it was not the real thing...

He smirked in the other line.

"You know, I..." Hino was back into her stuttering, "...I felt like...l doubted him too much while at the same time I was worried ...I know, despite everything we talked earlier..."

"You have a bad feeling about him?"

"Yeah...yeah that's it. You know, someone tried to corner him yesterday. With all the proofs went into him..."

He sighed, "Hino, to tell you the truth, everyone was worried too. But there's nothing we could do now. We just have to wait. The polices were working on it. They won't put the wrong person in jail...Well, I hope..."

"Tsuchiura, but that's not the main thing that made me this...unsettled..."

Tsuchiura didn't say anything, silently urging her to continue.

"It was what I thought earlier, but now I begin to consider that he is lying to us...maybe...maybe he's really the one who did it?" she said unsurely, sounded so lost and miserable.

If it were another person who said that, with a smug tone, Tsuchiura would absolutely snapped at it. But this was Hino, the one who always defended Tsukimori whenever she got the chance. She was only telling him the doubt she really felt, she meant no offense. Instead, she was looking for assurement to prove that she was totally wrong..

Then again, it's hard if you are trying to believe to someone who are not so open to you. Someone who is stupidly lying to you about his whereabout.

"I don't know if this is the right thing, but...maybe we should just trust him." he was also speechless by this. After all, she was the one who convinced Tsuchiura later that evening.

"But I..." she trailed off.

"Now look. What do you think he would think? Under the pressures and doubts he's been aware of?"

"He's...aware?" Hino's eyes widened. She can't imagine how horrible must the boy feel right now. Yet, he didn't even show it...

"Of course. Look at the way students glance at him. Or headmaster's yesterday rant."

"Oh no..He must be depressed.." she commented. This time, she realized something that had never crossed her mind. "...and the last thing he needs is his best friends betraying him too.." she added.

"Now that you know it, try to support him." he said.

"Yeah, I will." she breathed, speechless. "Thank you, Tsuchiura-kun."

Both of them were once again silent. Until Tsuchiura decided to raise the older subject.

"Well, you said earlier that you want to ask about math..."

"Yeah, about that," her tone quickly changed, "..for the past two hours, I'd been studying math, but nothing came to mind."

This time he took his turn to laugh, "...must be happen all the time."

"Tsuchiuraaaaaaa..." she whined, but also laughed afterwards.

"Okay, okay, no offense."

"You know, absorbing your science and math brain is the first thing I would like to do."

"Try me."

Then they laughed again. It felt so good, Tsuchiura thought, to console such a lost girl like her. It's a good thing he got that good answer for her uneasiness. It hadn't even crossed his mind before.

"Anyway, what would we bring for Mori-san?"

For a moment, Tsuchiura regretted bringing the topic. He hoped Hino won't cry over her just like the last time she did..

"Bring for Mori san?" Hino copied him in an asking tone, clueless.

"You know, when someone's in the hospital, visitors usually bring some kinds of fruit or bread...or other kinds of good food."

"Ah! I know something. There's a pastry store close to my house which sells yummy pastries. I bet Mori would love that."

"Oh really? What's the store's name?"

"Um...it's not a store, actually. Just an elderly woman who loves to make cakes and pastries. You have to order first to buy."

"Fine. Spare me some, okay? I would like to try."

"Absolutely! Ne Tsuchiura-kun, um..." she trailed off as blurting out her request was very unlikely to do...

"What? Math?"

"Yeah...I can't do it very well..."

"Go to my class first thing in the morning. When will the math test given?"

"The day after tomorrow..."

"Oh-What?" he asked in surprise.

"Really. And I can't do a single thing about it." she said sadly. Tsuchiura contemplated for a while, then said, "Fine. Go to my house. I'm free this evening."

"Is it really okay?" she perked up.

"Yeah. Besides, I need to review the materials too."

"Review ne, Tsuchiura-kun? While I am still struggling to understand the basic."

"Don't look so down on yourself. " Tsuchiura muttered.

She laughed half-heartedly, "Okay then, see you in a half hour."

She closed the line off and headed for her chest. She took a rather large bag and put the mathematics books and her pencil case inside it. She passed the living room in silence, as she heard voices in the other bedroom, her sister's.

Maybe she's calling her boyfriend, Hino mused, and quickly dismissed it as it was not a very important subject now. Her math is.

###

The next day,

For the first time in Hino's high school time, she felt very ready to face her math test. Usually, she was very cranky and worried. It's a very wrong thing that she chose the Natural Science major instead of the Social one, because the mathematics in the her major was considerably harder than the one in the Social, while she's not very good at it.

All thanks to Tsuchiura-kun, she kept reminding herself. If not for him teaching her until night time, then she wouldn't be able to feel this confident. Yeah, he was such a God...

So, with a plastic bag full of pastries in hand, she looked around her class as she stepped in it.

"Wow, what's this, Hino?" Nao asked, pointing at the plastic bag she had in hand.

"It's pastries for Mori." she replied.

"Pastries? Is that made by Granny Arawa?"

Ah, yeah, I forgot I've given Nao and Mio once...

"Yup. We're going to visit her today, Nao. So, I guess this is a good thing to bring since she would rather eat soft food..." She looked down at the desert. She noticed that Nao's eyes were also glued there, with a hint of eagerness present.

"Come, I'll put my things and give you some." Kaho walked to her desk and put her bag on the seat.

"Is it really okay?" Nao's eyes shone. Hino chuckled.

"Yeah, of course. I've deliberately bought more for you and Mio."

Hino opened the wide but ridiculosly short box, revealing the temptating cream pastries. The pastries were only the size of adult's fist, with flavoured cream pumped inside. This unintentionally made the delicious scent drift from her place.

"Waaah Hino...what's that?" her friends started to gather around.

"Uhh..well...this is pastries..." she was surprised to see almost all of the class' inhabitants crowded around her. Well, mostly girls.

"May us try?" One of them, Manaki started to throw her a puppy-eyed pleading.

"Guys, I don't think so..." she threw them a reluctant look, "I mean, these are for Mori-chan who's in a hospital. If you want, I can order some for you tomorrow."

"Here, you can share mine." Nao offered the girl. She pinched a little part of it and munched, some of them followed suit.

"Oh, are you visiting her today?" Nao asked her while some girls took a chunk of her pastry.

"Yeah. Along with the other concour participants."

"Aww this is soo delicious!" Manaki exclaimed. "Where did you buy this?"

"Well, my neighbor sells this. She usually takes orders."

"Can I order now and she deliver it to school at lunchtime?" a blonde haired girl, Takaki asked.

"Hmm, let me ask her." Hino fished her mobile phone and dialled for the old woman's number.

And so on, their morning activity was filled with puffies and all. Hino succeeded making the whole class savour the tasty puff.

###

After school

Hino looked up and sighed. It was already a tiring day, despite the cheerful morning and her oddly well-done test. The thought of as though she had to face something so horrible at the end of the day kept plaguing her mind everytime she started to melt into the cheerfulness.

"Yo, Hino-chan!" Her favourite senpai, Kazuki, clapped her in the shoulder from behind.

"Kazuki-senpai.." she distractedly muttered, but slowly plastered a smile when she could get a full look at his mischievous face. He was eating a bright-red colored popsicle. Definitely not a healthy one to eat.

"Hey." someone poked her from behind.

"Eh, Tsuchiura-kun." she turned and regarded him with another smile.

"Where are the others?" he asked, fumbling with his pocket to fish out his favourite iPod.

"Dunno. Maybe they were already ?at the schoolground."

Their meeting point was actually at the schoolground, but coincidentally they met on the stairs.

"Fine! Let's get there!" Hihara shouted with his cheeky smile. The other two followed suit.

When they got there, everyone was present. Some of them brought goods for Mori, like fruits or bread. The typical soft food for a sick person.

"Since there are only seven of us, let's get on to my car." Azuma gestured to them to follow him,but not after he spared the red-head an undecipherable-mostly sardonic glance.

Hino just looked away at the sarcastic guy. She placed herself on the the middle seat, together with Tsukimori and Tsuchiura while Hihara and the juniors sat at the rear seats. The front seats are occupied by Azuma and his driver

"How's your test?" Tsuchiura who sat in the middle of Hino and Tsukimori asked her.

"Well done." she cast a smile at him, "..thank you so much for teaching me yesterday. You know, i can do nothing with math.."

He repaid her smile and said, "It's fine. Next time, I'd be willing to help again."

"Yeah, and I'd be more willing to pay you back."

They both smirked and turned their attention back to the road. The package in Hino's hand no longer felt as warm as it did in the morning. But she wished that it's still edible and crunchy and would lift Mori-chan's mood...

The stray thoughts kept running in her mind until suddenly the car stopped and she was pulled out of it by Tsuchiura's nudge on her shoulder.

"Oi Hino, we've arrived." slightly humoured at the way she smiled at the package on her lap.

"Ah! Thanks Tsuchiura." she opened her door and got out of the car. Yunoki locked the car with his signal-key and all of them walked towards the main building of the hospital. The seniors leading the way.

Soon, they arrived at the Mori's room. Mori's bed was hampered from view by the high curtain that circled it. But as everyone peeked inside and knocked the door, Mori's mother appeared on the doorway and greeted the visitors. But she quickly ushered them to stay out of the room. She, too, went out and closed the door behind her back and decided to give them some explanation.

"How's Mori-chan, mam?" Hino asked. Worry etched on her face as she regarded Mori's mother stressed expression

"She's...bad..." she could only say that before her eyes watered and she quickly wiped them with her prepared tissue.

"The nurse is changing her bandages right now. Her wounds are extensive and...quite nasty.."she said the last part hardly. To say that your lovely daughter nasty is surely not an easy thing.

"Is she allowed to..receive any visitors?" Hih asked. He heard from a fellow junior that Mori is now available to be visited.

"Ah, sure since she's awakened and stabilized by now. But you have to...brace yourselves..."

"..why?" Hino asked almost immediately before it even registered on her mind.

"Some of her friends came..yesterday.." and her eyes started to water again. She quickly took a stride towards a nearby bench, across the room, and sat on it since she needed a support for her breaking heart. Hino quickly sat beside her and hold her hands to give an additional support.

"I...k-know they di-didn't mean anyth-thing b-bad..." she had to stop at this point since she had a new onslaught of tears. Hino rubbed her back to console the poor mother

"..one of them..vomited right after seeing the state she was in.." she stopped and cried for a few moments, prompting Tsuchiura to take out his pocket tissue and offer it to her.

"..thanks." she murmured between her hiccups.

"..and that really discourages my Mori..."

Soon, the nurse that attended in Mori's room exited and greeted the woman.

"How's her wounds, Fujiwara-san?"

The young nurse who was addressed Fujiwara put her trademark clipboard on her side and started to chant the result of the her recent work. As a professional, she kept her comforting facade as she spoke.

"She's doing quite well, Manami-san. The skin graft that was planted on her face and neck no longer infected and the other infectious areas are starting to heal as well as we have lowered her immune system by yesterday." she brought her clipboard into view so that it can be read and continued, "It's time to give her solid, but soft food. Her digestive systems are waking up after the surgery. You could start giving her porridge, baby food, or if she would like something sugary, pastries would do."

"Oh, thanks, Fujiwara-san. " Mori's mother sighed in relief.

"No, Mam. I'm just doing my duty as a nurse. You're the one who gives the greatest support for her."

And before the relieved parent could answer, the polite nurse excused herself and went to check the other rooms.

"All of you must be Mori's friends. Here, I guess she would be very glad to see you all."

The woman wiped the traces of her tears and guided them inside the room.

Behind the high curtain, lay a girl who was bandaged fully from her face down to her midsection, showing only her eyes, mouth and nose. An IV was connected into her forearm.

"Mori-chan, here are your friends." the mother announced softly.

The girl turned her head slowly towards them and she casted them a weak smile.

"Mori-chan..." Hino walked towards the bedside. "How are you?"

"...better.." she smiled, and turned to face the others. "Thanks for visiting me, guys."

They tried not to talk about the incident during the visit. It's all to make her temporary forget about the bad things.

"Tsukimori" she suddenly asked out of nowhere, "..why are you so silent?"

He just looked at her, slightly surprised. "I'm fine." he said in defense."..I'm listening."

"Tsukimori, it's not your fault. Really." Mori herself convinced the stoic violinist. Even the bed-ridden girl knew that Tsukimori is behaving like the guilt-bearer of this calamity.

"Yeah." he replied.

And then, the room was filled with a gloomy air.

"Um, Mori, I think we need to excuse ourselves since it's already darkening outside and you need your rest."

"Oh, of course, Hino-chan." she smiled.

"Make sure you'll get better fast and watch our competition next 3 weeks!" Hino cheered. Mori just smiled weakly and nodded her head.

Not long, all seven of them bode their goodbyes and left the hospital room.

* * *

><p><strong>Hehee...that's it. please read and review, guys!<strong>

**I know this chapter is so melancholic, I hate musings and worrying too, but I think this is kinda...necessary hehe...**

**I myself is a sanguine-phlegmatic person, so I'm not so good at something like this :)**


	10. Chapter 10: Something Hidden

**Hi guys! Sorry for the late update. Too lazy to write.**

**Here's the update. A little short I guess.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 10<p>

"Kaho-chan! Tsuchiura!" a male voice called both of them when they were walking to the schoolground a few days later.

"Ah, Kazuki-senpai!" Hino called back.

"Here, I'm gonna give you my masterpiece!" the senior announced. Both of them only smirked at his antics.

The lighter-green-haired rummaged his file folder until he found two identical, clipped piles of paper

"Here's the compulsory piece" he distributed them to each other. Both skimmed at it quickly before returning their attention to the composer.

"Thanks, Hihara-senpai. I'll make sure to play it greatly!" Hino announced in appreciation.

"You will. You'll do great!" he cheered.

"Oh by the way, there are some things I need to discuss with you, Hihara-senpai." Tsuchiura said. "It's about the last score."

"Fine. Let's sit down somewhere."

The three of them scanned for any bench nearby, and walked towards it.

"So, here" Tsuchiura took out his file and showed the composer about the part where he deemed unsuitable.

"I tried this on piano and it didn't suit me well." he paused, trying to give the senpai his time to think.

"..I mean, I even looked at the original piece and it should have been minor sixth, not augmented fourth..and..."

Hino couldn't understand what the hell they are talking about. Sixth?Augmented?

"...major lift...perdendosi's a little too soon...difficult place for rallentando..."

Oh God! I'm so...so left out here! I understand nothing of these music terms...

"Hmm..okay then, let me think about it..Thanks anyway." Hihara responded to Tsuchiura's feedback

"Hey Kaho-chan! Are you okay?"

When Tsuchiura looked her way, she was greenish and her eyes were spinning.

* * *

><p>Since it's Friday, and as appointed before that both violinist is going to practice with Yukimura sensei, Hino packed her things quickly and ran towards the Music-Ed building. She knew that since Tsukimori's class has been dismissed over an hour ago, he must have waited for a bit..<p>

And Yukimura sensei too!

Last time she's there, the teacher was a bit impatient. Hopefully she won't get angry with me.

"Konnichiwa..." Hino greeted as she opened the music room number five.

Everyone was already there.

Tsukimori was in the middle of playing the piece, while Yukimura sensei was sitting on a chair not so far from him, looking at some files. At the sound of Hino's greeting, they looked up nodded on her.

"I'm sorry I've made you wait."

"It's fine, Hino." Yukimura sensei responded, a slight smile on her lips, " ..let's start our practice."

Hino took up her violin, placed her music folder on the stand and put her shoulder rest quickly. She took a breath, and after making a brief eye contact with Tsukimori, started to play the piece.

* * *

><p>On the way home, Hino kept thinking about her recent practice with Yukimura sensei and Tsukimori.<p>

Since it's already dark, Tsukimori offered to drive her home, but they were so quiet during the ride, so quite that it was very awkward.

Something was off, she thought, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

..I've never spent a long time with Yukimura sensei, this is the first time I do. She's good, a bit impatient but it's normal, right?

But the way she looked at us gave an impression like she is holding something from us.

But what could that be? Who is she? She's no one but stranger for us..Well, for me, at least...

"Tsukimori-kun.." she called softly. He turned to her slightly, as to keep focus on the road.

"Mmm...I don't know if this sounds weird or..what.. But why do I feel like Yukimura sensei creeps me out?"

Tsukimori didn't respond. The Bach's Violin Sonata from Tsukimori's speaker is the only sound that filled the air.

"Maybe it's just my general feeling of the day, Tsukimori-kun. Never mind." she corrected her words.

Tsukimori, as stoic as he always, said nothing and continued to drive. His expression didn't even change, as if Hino never speak at all.

For most people, it would look like Tsukimori was ignoring her all the time, but Hino knew that he was silently listening.

Not long, the car halted into stop and Hino got out of the car after saying her gratitude.

"We'll have a practice together" Tsukimori suddenly said before she closed the door. He had his cellphone on his hand and seemed to read a text message.

"When?" She reopened the door crouched so that she'll have a full view on him.

"On Monday, since I have my concert tomorrow. I'm scheduling with Tsuchiura right now."

"Okay, inform me later. Thanks." she closed her door and walked right into her unlocked house.

She put her belongings and took a late bath. It was seven o'clock when she was done and went to lay at her bed. Suddenly, her cellphone rang. A text message from Tsuchiura.

_Hino, can we have our practice Monday after school? Kazuki has done the revision, and the file is on me._

She started typed her reply,

_Fine, after school. Please send me the file. On my email then? HiKa Thanks =D_

Tsuchiura didn't reply, but as soon as she opened her email on her laptop, the attachment sent from Tsuchiura are available.

She quickly printed the revised Waltz of the Flowers and set them on her music stand. Actually there are some changes on her part, but almost none in Tsukimori's. Some performance directions are also revised, but none of them too differs greatly.

After she'd practiced Clair de Lune, Waltz of the Flowers and the compulsory piece, she put her violin back to her case, and went down to eat her dinner, since her mother called to her.

Soon, she went back to her room and started to do her homework.

* * *

><p>07:40am<p>

Hino woke up and realized she was a little late for school. She quickly took bath, packed her bag, her violin not forgotten, and ran to school. She arrived just two minutes before the bell rings, and decided to spend her to meet Tsuchiura.

"Hey Tsuchiura-kun," she waved to him in front of his class.

"Hino" he came at her.

"On Monday...will there be only three of us, or will the teachers come along?"

"Just the three of us." Tsuchiura smiled. "We'll call the teachers when we are ready."

She laughed half-heartedly, "..when I am ready."

"No. Look, it's not the same as playing solo, Hino. Sometimes when you do a duet or trio, like what we do now, you'll find yourself making mistakes even when you are good, because you are trying to synchronize with your partner."

"But compared to both of you, I would only pose as a hindrance..."

"No." He said, looking straight into her eyes. "Your, my and his hindrance will be ours." He smacked her back playfully. "..don't worry, we'll fix them together."

Hino rubbed her abused back. Tsuchiura got his brute strength and the little smack kinda hurt actually. But she smiled, "..Ouch. You better hit the piano harder than this!"

"Sure, sure"

"Thank you, Tsuchiura-kun. I'll do my best"

Hino started to walk towards her class, but suddenly Tsuchiura called her.

"Hino wait. Have you opened your desk drawer?"

"No, I've just arrived. Why"

Tsuchiura looked around to ensure that no one was there to watch them. He cornered her a little.

"I found this" Tsuchiura produced a small, neatly folded paper from his trouser pocket.

_Since YOU are not going back, just wait, something will happen today_

_With love,_

"Another letter?" Hino looked up to him and he nodded. They have almost forgotten about the letter since the shock of Mori's incident, and their competition matters.

"Should we ignore this?" Hino asked him as she refolded the anonymous letter and gave it back to Tsuchiura.

He didn't answer. Instead, he took the paper from her hand, eyes staring at the wall behind her as he thought about it.

"You looked grim, Tsuchiura-kun." she said, searching his face.

The bell decided to rang three times, as though indicating their talking time is over.

Tsuchiura tapped her shoulder, body poised to leave, "Just be safe okay? At least for today."

"Yeah. Sure." she answered and left.

* * *

><p>After school.<p>

As promised, she headed to the practice room hallways after she had finished her lunch with Tsuchiura. Tsuchiura is still grim, but not as bad as before. When she asked about it, Tsuchiura said that he didn't know either.

It is either he didn't wanna talk about it, or he really doesn't know.

Hino read the booking room board to know which room was Tsukimori currently occupying.

"He's is in room three" Tsuchiura announced.

Both of them entered the room. Tsukimori is not playing violin this time. Instead, he is occupying the piano. At the coming of Hino and Tsuchiura, he stood and nodded at them.

"I'm sorry we've made you wait.." Hino said. No one responded her, though. One is a stoic ice prince, while one suddenly grim.

Their third practice is the most awkward of all the practices that they have done.

Yet, they could stay for more than three hours, since they are practicing three pieces at that time.

"Well done! It's already 6pm" Hino stretched her arms after the compulsory piece was done being played. "Why don't we go home? I'm tireeed..." she sat next to Tsuchiura, resting while the violin and bow still in her hands.

"Let's call it a day. I am bored here." Tsuchiura closed his piano folder and put it inside his big, heavy shoulder bag.

He took out his long forgotten cellphone in his bag and became busy with it.

Hino and Tsukimori, too decided to follow suit and packed their violin in its case.

"We should practice on our own, Tsukimori-kun. Just the two of us."

"Hello, Okaa-san?" from the background, came the deep voice of Tsuchiura, apparently calling his mother.

"We don't synchronize too well." Tsukimori stated, turning Hino's attention back at him.

She nodded. "I hope I'll be much better next time we practice-"

BRUK!

Both of them turned towards the source of the sound.

Tsuchiura's cellphone apparently fell to the floor, but he just kept sitting rigid on the piano bench, with his back facing the violinists.

"Tsuchiura-kun?" Hino slowly approached him. He didn't turn his head to her call, nor did he seemed to hear her. She stood next to the piano bench and searched his face. Tsuchiura's eyes widened in shock, his mouth slack and his hand trembled, unaware of her close presence.

Hino put her hand on his shoulder and shook him a little. Finally, Tsuchiura slid his eyes to look at her

"Tsuchiura, did something wrong happened?"

He slowly regained control, took calming breaths before trusting himself to answer curtly, "I need to go to the hospital now."

He stood abruptly and took his belongings, ready to run.

"Wait, Tsuchiura-kun! What happened?"

He is in no state to answer as he pushed her aside and ran to towards the door.

"Tsuchiura" Tsukimori suddenly caught his shoulder.

"I can drive you there."

"No it would take too long!"

"The hospital is far from here. You wouldn't reach it." Tsukimori snapped

"He's right, Tsuchiura." Hino added. Tsuchiura's fallen cellphone was in her hand.

He eyed them both, eyes wild and emotional.

"Fine." he exhaled loudly. The three of them quickly walked-ran to the parking ground and into Tsukimori's car.

Tsuchiura sat at the passanger's seat, Hino at the back seat while Tsukimori drove as fast as he could.

For the first few minutes, the car ride was silent. Tsuchiura just bowed his head, closed his eyes to calm himself from the earlier shock.

"Tsuchiura-kun.." she quietly asked him, "..what happened?"

He looked like he was in the verge of crying, but knowing Tsuchiura, he wouldn't do so.

"My brother was kidnapped, earlier today after school.." he trailed off, slowly looking at her eyes.

"It was 1 in the afternoon...when he was last seen" he stopped to regain his breath.

"...someone...tortured him..he was found in a dry gutter this evening, dying..." he was starting to be emotional, but it was clear that he tried to get a hold of it.

Hino gasped in shock. She didn't expect it to be as bad as this. Moreover, the short phone call could contain this much information.

"My mom has been calling me since three this afternoon, but..." he closed his eyes, his expression hard,"...but I didn't hear, forgot to turn off the silent mode...didn't even look at my cellphone, until there were 13 missed calls."

Tsukimori who were driving the car even snuck a glance at the despairing teen next to him.

"Oh what a stupid brother am I.." he started to laugh distressedly.

"Tsuchiura-kun, you wouldn't be able to prevent that."

"Wouldn't prevent?" He took out something from his trouser pocket absentmindedly.

"I've been warned." Tsuchiura reopened the letter that he'd shown Hino that morning.

Hino's eyes widened. She had almost forgotten about the anonymous letter.

Yes, she did receive that too this morning, on her desk drawer. Hino took the identical letter addressed to her from her breast pocket and take it into her hand. The message...even the handwriting are identical. They were sent by the same person.

"Is this the meaning of these letters?" Hino muttered in shock. If that's it then...

..then this is so cruel..Who would think that this could turn into something so evil?

Tears started to leak into her eyes, but she refused to let it into a full-blown cry.

"Tsukimori-kun" she turned, "..do you receive any strange letter this morning?"

It took some time for him to answer,"..yes."

"Tsukimori, why don't you tell it to us? If I'm not mistaken, this is the second, right? Do you receive the first one too?"

He did not answer, but everyone knew he got the letters too.

"May I see it?" Hino asked.

"It should be the same as what you received." he avoided. Unfortunately, the traffic jam decided to close on him. Tsukimori got nothing to do except to wait for three full minutes.

"Yeah, but let us see it." Hino repeated.

He acted as if he ignored her. Hino's conscience started to tell her to belive Tsukimori's statement. After two same letters, what's the odds that Tsukimori's would be different?

Don't make the situation worse, Hino. Not when Tsuchiura's in deep grief.

Even if it's different, the message would still be the same.

But Tsukimori's attitude to hide the letter to stubbornly made think that something is not right.

"Tsukimori-kun, show us the letter!"

"It should be the same as yours." he repeated in unfriendly tone.

"Let me see it." Hino insisted

"I've disposed it." Tsukimori turned to the left, and face her fully, but unfortunately, his lies were blown up. As soon as he turned, Hino could see the insides of his breastpocket.

She unceremoniously, as quick as a cat, pulled the cursed paper before Tsukimori could even do anything.

"H-Hino!" he reprimanded, body poised to the back seat, but his seatbelt prevented his movement. Hino leaned back to the back seat, and skimmed it fastly

_Tsukimori Len, or shall I say my beloved._

_I see that you've decided to not heed my warning to be out; It is fine._

_I have set my eyes on that greenhead friend of yours. Today he'll lose something so dear. You can warn him all you can, but nothing would prevent it from happening._

_Sincerely,_

When Hino looked up to see her friends, they were looking at the back at the paper too, Tsuchiura obviously couldn't read the letter.

"Give it back, Hino!" Tsukimori snapped loudly, this time he looked really angry. He was never loud, mind that. And he looked like he was in the verge of crying.

When Hino was too shocked to move, Tsukimori suddenly grabbed the paper, shredded them to pieces and opened his window to dispose them.

"Tsukimori-kun!" Hino gasped at his action.

"You are impolite!" he growled, fist balled. Maybe ready to punch if not for his unwavering self-control.

"Why do you have to be like that if the letter contains the same as what he'd written to us?" Tsuchiura suddenly joined. The ruckus could even pulled him out of his grief.

"It's not for you to see!" he bellowed at Tsuchiura, though Tsuchiura has done nothing wrong.

Silence followed, the boys glared at each other before Hino boldly added, "Tsukimori-kun, you definitely are hiding something!"

* * *

><p><strong>Hmm..okay...this has gone deeper into the problem. One more chapter and you'll know it all. hehehe...<strong>

**Okay please wait for the next chap patiently! And don't forget to review guys**

**Musical terms:**

**rallentando:getting slower(usually at the end of the piece)**

**perdendosi:dying away**


	11. Chapter 11: Urgency

**Hi readers! I've came back to this story to post this one update. Hope this will satisfy your curiousness ehehhe...**

**Disclaimer: Own nothing**

**On to the story!**

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><p>"Tsukimori-kun, you definitely are hiding something!" Hino said with finality. Hino felt upset, curious, and at the same time, guilty. Strangely, maybe because of the adrenaline rush, she thought that she was ready to receive any kind of reaction Tsukimori would give her.<p>

Tsukimori didn't have time to answer, as the car behind them honked and the traffic light had already turned green.

Hino felt a little upset, Yes, there are some things that are meant to be kept as a secret, but this...this is a problem regarding all of us! Why didn't he share it? We are facing the same threat. Shouldn't we-

Her train of thought was being disturbed by the vibration of Tsuchiura's cellphone in her lap. Oh, she realized albeit a little too late, Tsuchiura's phone was still on her lap.

"Tsuchiura-kun, you got a phone call." Hino gave the phone to Tsuchiura. Tsuchiura read the name on the screen, before taking it hastily.

"Okaa-san?...No I'm already on the way...five more minutes and I'll be there...what happened, Okaa-san?...Okaa-san?...Please tell me now...Okaa-"

Tsuchiura cursed and shoved the phone into his pocket.

He distressedly touched his forehead to the window, trying to calm his emotion and urgency

Something is definitely going on, Hino mused, something must have going on with his brother, that's why his mother is calling him. But since he is going to be there in five minutes, she decided to tell him not by phone.

What's something so important better not told on phone?

Hino's eyes widened at the realization, or better, her worst speculation, but she refrained from making any voice.

The rest of the way were filled with silence. No one felt appropriate to start a conversation.

"Tsuchiura, we've arrived." Tsukimori slowed down his car in front of the hospital.

"Go inside, we'll park and catch up with you" Hino added.

"You don't have to, Hino, Tsukimori. Just go home, you must be tired." Tsuchiura quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and gathered his things up.

"It's fine, Tsuchiura-kun." Hino insisted. "We'll visit anyway."

Tsuchiura didn't want to spend more time arguing trivial things with them. He felt a little grateful for their care, actually, but that's not the main thing in his mind.

"Thank you, guys."

Tsuchiura ran and disappeared into the building. Both of them just stayed there looking at his diminishing figure. The rushing atmosphere was suddenly gone, and it felt so weird.

Moreover, Hino who suddenly became aware of the severity of her previous action felt so embarrassed.

Oh God! What did i just do?! She scolded herself. If Tsukimori decided to slap her right now, she truly deserved it.

Then slowly, when another car flashed its lamp from behind, jolting both of them awake of their surroundings, Tsukimori drove his car into the parking ground. It was placed directly below the hospital building. He looked for an empty space and found it right away between two cars.

Somehow, Hino didn't really want to meet Tsuchiura in this state. Things would be very awkward.

Hino and Tsukimori left their belongings on the car, only bringing their respective cellphones.

The hospital is not a new place for them. They had recently visited the place when Mori had been there. Well she was still there.

The parking lot was located underground. It was a dirty and asphalt-based. The walls used to be plain white, but now it's smeared with tire marks, and other dirty substances. They went through the loud, swirling stairs at the corner of the big lot till they reached the glass double-door that lead to the ground floor. Hino suddenly intercepted, "Let me ask the receptionist."

Tsukimori waited there, while Hino ran to get the information..

"Tsukimori-kun, he's still in the operating room, third floor."

Hino walked to the elevator and pressed the triangle "up" button. The empty elevator door opened, and Hino pressed the destination floor key.

Since there were no one, Tsukimori suddenly interjected emotionally.

"...both of you...no, all of you may speculate, curse, or even turn me to the police. You may do everything as you wish. I don't care. I don't FUCKING care."

Although Tsukimori didn't give a hint about what he was implying, but Hino knew that it was about the anonymous letter, and her outrageous sin committed not a half hour before. Now that she thought about it, it was truly improper to reach someone's pocket and pull out his well-kept secret.

_...Tsukimori Len, or shall I say my beloved..._

Hino recalled the top of the letter. Somehow, the word 'my beloved' sent chills ran down her spine. Felt like, it ran a deeper meaning than just a sneer or joke.

Hino stared back at Tsukimori. She shocked at his words but moreover, at his expression.

It was as if he were chanting his own death sentence. His expression, body gesture suggested that he had lost all his will to live, easily offering his destiny.

"Why didn't you make things easier? We were here to help, not to-"

Tsukimori suddenly laughed. Maniacally. His eyes wide, expression so evil. He turned to face Hino fully, his back to the elevator door.

Hino backed a little. Eventhough he'd been a close friend for her for almost one year, she had never thought that such thing could be spit out of someone, especially Tsukimori.

Somehow, she's a little...afraid.

Ting! The elevator sounded, signaling that they have reached the third floor.

"Help me, you say? No. I'd rather bring this matter to death."

Just as he said the last sentence loudly, the door opened, and there was Tsuchiura directly in front of the door.

Hino's eyes widened.

Oh god, the situation couldn't be more dire, more awkward.

"Brings what to death, Tsukimori?" Tsuchiura interjected suddenly. His face was still grim, but not as panic-roused as before.

Tsukimori, shocked, suddenly turned to face Tsuchiura.

"My business." he said curtly.

"Tsuchiura where are you going?" Hino asked to change the subject.

"To the cafetaria. My mother hasn't eaten anything since morning."

Tsuchiura stepped into the elevator and pressed the 'G' key.

Decided that they didn't have anyone else they recognized in this hospital, they followed Tsuchiura to the cafetaria. It was on the ground floor.

"How's your brother?" Hino braced herself to ask him after the elevator door has once again closed on them.

Tsuchiura glanced at his watch.

"There hasn't been any news. The surgery has gone for more than four hours."

"He should be able to pull through.." Hino mentioned her encouragement.

"Yes, physically. But now, I'm more concerned about his mental state. He's just ten."

No one said anything. Tsuchiura didn't look so upset anymore. In fact, he smiled a little when he said, "..I guess, I'll be absent from school for a week. Maybe more, If my brother hasn't recovered decently.."

Hino just nodded her understanding.

After all, Hino reasoned, it's something normal if you want to accompany a suffering little brother, right?

Right?

Or did I miss something?

"I'll take notes for you, Tsuchiura." Hino promised.

"Thanks, Hino."

The lift stopped moving and the door opened soon afterwards. Tsuchiura led them to the not so crowded cafetaria. It was designed like a fast food restaurant, mostly because of the customers tend to take away their food rather than eat it there.

The three of them approached the cashier and ordered some food. Tsuchiura mentioned his choice while Hino waited behind him.

"Hino, Tsukimori, would you order some food too?"

Hino almost said no, but realized that she, too, hasn't had anything for dinner.

"Yes, one seafood fried rice, not spicy."

The man on the cashier typed her order and turned to Tsukimori.

"You?"

He wasn't in the mood to pick anything. But out of courtesy, he pointed a picture of Sukiyaki.

"Is all your orders going to be taken away?" the man asked.

"No, the fried rice, sukiyaki and chicken ramen is going to be eaten here."

"Okay." he gave Tsuchiura a number."..wait for your orders."

"Everything is 2850¥."

Hino took out her money on her wallet, but Tsuchiura prevented her hand from giving it to the cashier man.

He quickly took his own money so the cashier man won't wait longer for them.

"No Hino, Tsukimori. My treat."

"Tsuchiura, no need. We-" Hino's words were cut off.

"I'm the one who keep you here until this late. It's the least I can do."

Tsuchiura quickly walked away after he has gotten the receipt.

"But Tsuchiura.." she tried to dump her money on him, but he quickly backed off.

They sat on a table hidden by a corner to gain a little sense of privacy. Everyone knows that at the moment, they are going to talk about something dark. Hino sat next to Tsuchiura while Tsukimori sat on a seat facing her.

"And guys, there's something I wish to talk about." Tsuchiura called their attention.

This time, his tone suddenly turned sombre.

"It's about the competition. I've been thinking about it, these past hours..."

Hino swallowed. Somehow she had already knew where this conversation will go.

"..I think this incident, the Mori's too, has something to do with our competition."

Hino nodded at Tsuchiura, encouraging him to continue.

"I've been thinking to take a break for one week, or more, to assist my brother in his needs." he reasoned. "My mother couldn't be here at all times. She has students and work on her responsibility, and so does my sister."

"School...I can leave for one-two weeks. It wouldn't affect my performance. But the competition is less than a month to go. Three weeks away. I'll be a burden for you, guys."

Hino shared a look with Tsukimori. He, too, has a dreaded expression in his eyes. But he quickly looked away.

"So please consider this seriously. Discuss with Kanazawa-sensei, if needed."

Silence filled their table. Only fools didn't understand what Tsuchiura has wanted to say all that time. "Discuss...your absence?" Hino braced herself to ask in a timid voice. Though she has known that it was not the point

"Discuss if I should...resign..."

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><p>I know it's soooo short! Shortest chapter in this fic. But this looks like the best place to end this chap hehe...<p>

Ookaay! Please review guys! The next chapter is going to be very angsty, and it is so hard to write.

Aaand I've just re-edited this fic as soon as I published this. My previous version didn't have Tsuchiura saying thanks to them.


	12. Chapter 12: Revelation

**Hi readers! Long time no see. This is the first chapter I post in this year. Here, is the revelation of almost all mysteries on this story. Enjoy**

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><p><em>"Discuss...your absence?"<br>_

_"Discuss if I should...resign..."_

* * *

><p>"No Tsuchiura-kun-"<p>

"Please consider, in regards to my condition. You can always find a new pianist, a more talented, more diligent one. I'm sure there are lots of them in the Music Department." Tsuchiura cut her sentence. He tried to sound and look normal but he couldn't mask all of his sadness. All these two months of practicing together, looking for the pieces together, correcting and complementing each other...must have made this decision so hard on him...

How could he...

Something snapped inside Hino's brain. The letters. Tsuchiura must have thought that the further he joined this competition, the more brutal the letter sender would ruin his life, no, the their life.

_The sender gave a different letter to Tsukimori_

"There are three letters that we've received so far." Tsuchiura sorted things out. Hino has known that the direction of this topic. He wanted to know about the letter Tsukimori tried so hard (but failed) to hide.

Moreover, his resignation statement be a lure to make them talk about the letters.

"The first is soon after we joined. The two ones are just before each incident." Hino mentioned.

"Yes."

"Did you receive three letters, too Tsukimori-kun?" Hino shot him a question.

Tsukimori nodded.

"Tsukimori-kun, I need you to be honest to us, here."

Suddenly a look of upset enter his eyes.

"Hino, if you are really scared about your life, then you should resign too. The only one he hasn't taken hold of is you."

"...you too, Tsuchiura. You have taken the best decision."

"Tsukimori-kun...!"

"I'm the one behind all these." He answered bitterly. But looking at his two companions' outrageously unbelieving face, he added, "..would you rather wait till someone else falls, to believe it?"

"Tsukimori, no matter what you say, we wouldn't believe your lies." Tsuchiura deadpanned.

"Why does your letter differs from us? Why is Tsuchiura-kun mentioned inside the letter?" asked Hino. Tsuchiura who didn't know what's written there widened his eyes in shock. His genius brain started to formulate possibilities, which is

"Tsukimori-kun.." Hino buried her face in frustration. She didn't use any force but rather she relented. "...Please don't close on us..Tsukimori-kun...we just want to help."

Tsukimori sighed and looked away.

After all their involvement in this matter, I guess they should have known what's behind all of these.

Finally after a quite a long time, he turned back to their questioning eyes.

"The one behind all of this, is my father.."

This made their eyes bulged, as expected. But the next sentence shocked them even more.

"Not the one living with me, of course. But my biological father. I am, after all, not Misa Hamai and Tsukimori Dan's son." Tsukimori continued his story.

* * *

><p>-Flashback-<p>

_The little boy could not sleep, or rather, tried his best not to sleep. He had been waiting for tonight where everybody was sleeping; so that he could sneak out and ran away._

_His body was very emaciated. He was wearing a thin piece of ragged shirt and shorts despite of the cold night._

_Papa didn't beat him up tonight. He hasn't even home yet. Mama has gone into her room without even sparing him a glance._

_He hasn't eaten anything since morning. His stomach grumbled, but he tried to shut it out by curling into a tight ball._

_His body, too was filled with bruises and blackish abusive marks. Even his back were marked by lit cigarette. The scar would certainly remain for a lifetime._

_He decided this was the right time to sneak out. Papa wouldn't get home until morning and Mama wouldn't get out from her room until Papa comes._

_Slowly he dragged his weary, battered body and trudged into the front door. _

_Mama was so messed up that she had forgotten to lock it._

_The blue-haired boy discreetly slided the door, trying to make as little sound as possible._

_He was now in the center room of his small, messed house. Just a few steps until he reached the front door._

_Dug! Dug!_

_He tried to calm his erratic heartbeat, afraid that his mom would hear that from the room across._

_He limped, as his body was being hurt everywhere. He passed the shoe rack near the door and took a decisive step to open the door_

_He did not think too long. Without hesitation, he stepped outside._

_It was a rather chilly night in late November. A telltale sign that snow is coming._

_A stray wind hit his face, making him gasp. Certainly a little boy like him couldn't prepare any good outfit for this weather._

_And it's not like the family had decent supply for clothes as well. Everyday, he just wears a quite old shirt, sometimes tattered as his father often hit him with sharp objects and left the clothes tattered._

_Going back? He pondered._

_He shivered, hugging his small body with his hands. He could think no more._

_No! _

_He could only go forward. Even if it's cold, he must leave home._

_The boy limped. He didn't know where to go and no one were outside. That's good, the neighbours might recognize him and put him back home._

_He continued to limp as far as his little,injured feet could carry._

_That night, he slept on a dirty, cold abandoned building._

_But fate is not so kind. Later that dawn, a commotion broke out as polices caught a criminal who hid in the same place as him. The polices noticed a stray child was there too, and decided to bring him into their office after he was being clarified that he had no connection with the criminal._

_He wanted to get away. He was very afraid that by now Papa had gone home and found him missing. If they sent him back, then Papa would beat him way harsher than before._

_He did not thrash, he just kept silent during his stay at the police office. That's why he was placed in a room that looked like a reception office, and not being kept under tight watch._

_They even feed him with bento too. Not a very good one, but at least it is the first decent meal he'd had in days._

_He finally found the chance to get away on the mid-day when everyone was busy and no one was there to accompany him. He ran, or rather limped hurriedly from the police office._

_He passed a main street for quite a distance when suddenly he heard someone calling the police that a child escaped._

_The little boy panicked. He didn't want to be caught once again. He must find a place to hide, but where?_

_Luckily he spotted a street cafe nearby. There were square, small dining tables covered in red and white checkers cloth. The tables were surrounded by two to four chairs which cushions matched the checkers pattern._

_Since the tablecloth reached the ground beneath the table on all four sides, he decided to use one of them, particularly the one placed at the middle of the tables as a hiding place._

_He could only wish that no one would peek underneath the tablecloth. He wished that he would not be found as long as possible._

_He strained his ears to listen to the voices outside. It was not a noisy street. Cars passed, once in a while. Birds landed and chirped, then flew again. He could hear people passing, talking nearby. He also heard a man asked someone if he saw a boy with his attribute, which made his heart jumped. But after a while, the man gave up looking for him and his voice was gone._

_He sat down, visibly more relaxed since he was safer here. But the pavement was so cold..._

_He started to nod off, though it was chilling after quite some time, but suddenly, something jolted him up._

_Since it was a street cafe, after all, there is also a possibility that a table is being used. This time, two people decided to sit on this fated table._

_One was a man that wore dark long trousers and pantoufle and one is a woman that wears knee-length white skirt and short heels. Their feet were placed underneath the table, on his sides intruding the his safe place. So he tried to be stay as centered as possible._

_"Dear, what do you want to order?" the man opened the conversation. Sounds of paper rustling were heard. Certainly the menu book._

_The man's feet shifted further, making the blue haired child step to the right to evade it. But unfortunately he lost his balance and ended up falling into the woman's calf. He instinctively tried to hold on to something to buffer the damage, but that something is the woman's UPPER thigh._

_Oh. No._

_"WHAT ARE YOU TOUCHING?!" she bellowed. _

_Then there was the sharp sound of hitting, and the woman's legs retracted from the undertable. She must have stood. The boy had long abandoned the leg and now could only stare in shock. It's just a matter of time before he was found, and from the sound of the woman's screech, it's certainly won't be merciful._

_Should I run now? He thought._

_"Oww! Why do have to you slap me?!"_

_"You are touching my legs! Pervert!"_

_"No I didn't! See, my hand is up here on the table all the time!"_

_Both of them suddenly stopped talking. Plotting something?_

_He could not see what happened above. But the kid braced himself and got ready to run._

_Suddenly the clothes were rolled up, and there were two heads, upside down, peeking at him._

_The three of them were shocked; one being found and two found something utterly unusual, a kid hiding under their table all this time. He screamed and bolted right away out of sheer panic, hitting his forehead quite sharply on the underside of the table because he stood too fast. His vision blurred, disoriented, but he kept running. Expectedly, the man crouched and caught his little body from behind before he could ran far._

_"Hey! Stop here little boy!"_

_The little boy was on fire. He did the only thing his instinct told; screamed._

_The man clamped his hand on the kid's mouth before he could begin attracting attention from the passerby._

_"Hey, listen boy." he tried to reason. Even in the most outrageous situation, the man could keep his calm. The boy kept wiggling on his hold. He shifted his other hand; that was not on the boy's mouth to his chest, where he could feel his heart beating too fast, pumped by adrenaline._

_His body is too thin, the man remarked, and now that he could see it carefully, his clothes are tattered and dirty, with hints of blood. Just what happened to this boy?_

_He rubbed his hand on his heart slowly to calm the boy, promising him calmly that he would be fine, and it worked. After he could feel the wiggling came to cease, he released the boy's mouth._

_By now, as the boy's adrenaline rush declined, he started to sob silently. _

_"P-p-please...please don't h-hur' me.."_

_The man said nothing, he was not a noisy and expressive person to begin with and the boy kept chanting his words. He became very compliant in his in his hold. It's like he has lost all his strength to fight the man._

_"Listen boy. We're not here to hurt you." the woman walked into his field of vision and took out her tissue and ran it across his tears-streamed cheeks._

_The boy still sobbed. They waited until his crying could subside. The man gradually loosened his grip on the boy as he could feel the boy had no more energy to run._

_The kid surrendered, he even leaned his head back a bit to his chest._

_"Are you lost? If you are, then we'll take you back to your mama."_

_At the mention of his mama, he suddenly looked frightened._

_"No! No! Not mama!" he started to sob again. New wave of tears rolled down his face. _

_"B-But she must be worried about you." the woman reasoned. But the boy was beyond reasoning._

_"Dear, maybe we should just took him to my house. Just for a little while." he added._

_"Are you sure? He could stay in my hotel room if you are busy." the woman offered._

_"But you have your concert tonight, and, no one would watch this little runt."_

_"Okay, boy, we won't take you to mama." the woman offered, as strange as it sounded to her own ears. The blue-haired kid suddenly stopped crying, and listened to them intently. _

_"...but, do you want to go with us, instead?"_

_The child stared back at them. He nodded slowly._

_"Okay then, what's your name, dear?" The woman offered her hand._

_"Ryousaki" he slowly accepted it._

_"My name is Hamai Misa and this is Tsukimori Dan, my fiancee."_

-Flashback ends-

"...they settled down the case as soon as I said what has happened in my old family. The father and mother was imprisoned." he confessed. There were not a single emotion written on his stoic face. Everyone noted silently that he no longer called his biological parents 'my'.

"They've done nothing but torture and neglect me. I was a child born out of marriage."

Hino couldn't stifle a gasp. Tsuchiura elbowed her slowly to remind her that it's kinda rude.

"Before they got married, I was adopted as my father's son. He acted as a single parent legally. They didn't dump me into an orphanage."

"I was moved to Tokyo, following my parents' original city. They came to Kyoto that day because Mother had a concert and Father got his business matter to take care of."

"...so you were not Misa Hamai and Tsukimori-san's biological child, after all." Tsuchiura commented. At the moment, the waitress decided to bring the food over for them. They stopped talking about the matter and thanked the woman in service instead.

"Yes. We've kept it as a secret. No one knows, except for those people who were personally close to us, like your mother."

Tsuchiura's eyes widened. Oh! So she knew all along...that's why when he asked her back then about Hino and his discovery of Misa Hamai's peculiar age, his mother told him to wait for Tsukimori to tell him the truth.

If Tsukimori is an adopted child, then it made some sense. The only-sixteen-year-old difference between him and Misa Hamai could be explained.

"We live peacefully until two years ago, my biological father, presumably has done serving his sentence suddenly contacted my family. He heard about me, and..." he clenched his fist, though his voice didn't raise a bit. He stopped as he allowed himself to take some deep breaths.

Even the stoic Tsukimori could get emotional at this point.

"...demanded me back."

The two Gen-Ed students' eyes widened. They'd never knew that Tsukimori could have a very dark problem like this. And it's been scarring almost his entire life.

"He sees that now I am a rather famous violinist and I could be a powerful asset for him. He is no longer poor and powerless. He is currently Kyoto's yakuza leader, and he is abusing his power, using his underlings to cause incidents everywhere to force my parents to surrender me. He even shot my father's car weeks ago.."

Hino gasped, hand flew to her mouth. Tsuchiura said nothing but his expression was equally shocked.

"Is he...okay?"

Tsukimori nodded. "The bullet broke the mirror but missed my father, but it panicked my mother since I came home nearly unconscious with both of you. She thought he hurt me too."

Oh, so that's the reason his father was home at afternoon, which is something almost impossible for someone as busy as Tsukimori's father.

Now, all mysteries that surrounded the family was being explained.

"When finally on Mori's accident, he was inside the school. Observing and waiting. When everyone's attention was being dragged into the explosion, he forced me to go with him and explained his doings to me."

"Is that why you're gone after the explosion?" Tsuchiura couldn't help but retort back. His disappearance after the incident has made everyone who knows about it suspicious. His attitude after it happened also didn't help. He even boldly told them to blame him if they want. He didn't even bother being considered guilty.

"He said that he has sent us warning letters."

It clicked. Yes, there were letters on our desk, locker...

"But it's to cancel our participation on the competition in Kyoto." Hino added. "..it must have come from one of our rivals. Or maybe someone else from our school who envy this team..."she trailed off.

"You know how some people envied us when we join the last concour."

"Some Music-Ed student even locked you up on a closet." Hino supported. "..they might take part in these things. The letters, I mean."

Tsukimori laughed sardonically, but they knew that it was not to mock them.

"He will use everything. Hell, even if I joined cooking competition, he will still terrorize and do all these!"

Just that time, they saw how the usually level headed, stoic Tsukimori lost his mind. He didn't shout, but his face is almost akin to crying.

Frustration, deep trauma, heartache, and even guilt to everyone was bottled up inside of him, and he didn't have any chance for them to be expressed. Not at school, not at home. Not anywhere.

Awkward silence filled the room. Everyone who heard Tsukimori's little outburst was looking at them. But fortunately, there were not so many people to begin with in the cafetaria.

"...i'm sorry." he breathed. The usual gloomy look on his face turned into something much worse. It showed immense guilt, desperation, deep humiliation, and defeat.

He could no longer place a stoic mask. It must be agonizing for him, but he forced himself to speak, though his eyes could not lift themselves to see anything other than the table in front of him.

Tsukimori was directing his sorry to both of them. Not just them; but to everyone who has been hurt by his maniac father. Silence followed, and suddenly the unexpected happened.

Tsuchiura, who was silent all this time suddenly stood and grabbed Tsukimori by the collar in an angry haste. He cornered Tsukimori on the wall. The victim didn't seem to be panicked. He sagged, didn't even try to stand on his own feet like a doll with it's strings pulled. It's as though he had expected and willingly accept this assault.

"Tsuchiura!" Hino panicked. She stood abruptly and tried to pry his hand off Tsukimori's collar, but it didn't budge. His other hand clenched to a strong fist. He was ready to strike the blue-haired violinist.

"Tsuchiura-kun, please, not here!" Hino pleaded. Some other customers started to watch the commotion but no one dared to approach. The aura was just too dark.

But Tsuchiura got a reason, Hino thought bitterly. His brother had been hurt, in a precarious state between life and death. What he did was plausible. While Tsukimori is not the one who directly do this, but he could foresaw what happened, yet he didn't even try to warn.

"Know what, Tsukimori." Tsuchiura who has been silent all this time spoke up, expression unreadable. "..nothing could be changed, but..."

Hino tried to make a meaning from his words. What couldn't be changed? His resignation? Tsukimori-kun's past? After all that happened to his brother, Tsuchiura could take an offending course of action and it was not something unreasonable. Hino braced herself. If Tsuchiura wanted to strike him, then her hand is ready to latch onto his fist.

He tightened his hand on Tsukimori's collar, as if it is possible and growled, "Why didn't you tell!? You should have told us if you were blackmailed! This is not only about you, damnit!"

They stared at each other before Tsuchiura suddenly released him. Tsukimori's eyes were just as lifeless, but a hint of shock was apparent on them. With all strength left his body, he would fall to the floor if Hino didn't catch his body and steady him.

Tsuchiura sighed gruffly. "..why do you have to shoulder everything, huh? Look at yourself! You're totally screwed!"

The violinist didn't say anything, out of shock, or out of misery, no one knows. Both of them looked at each other, one with lifeless eyes, one with anger before suddenly Tsuchiura walked away, seemed aware for the long time he took to buy some meal and took the it on the table. Then he said without looking, "It's getting late, both of you should go home."

Tsuchiura walked to the elevator and went to his family.

Hino just couldn't believe her ears. Did Tsuchiura got angry because Tsukimori tried to shoulder all the problem by himself? As far as she remembered, he'd never blamed Tsukimori for the calamity his brother experienced.

'_..__nothing could be changed__..'_

Now she understood what that means. Whatever happened to his brother is irreversible, he just wants Tsukimori to trust them more, and solve this problem together.

"Tsukimori-kun.." she touched his hand.

His face hardened, lips pursed. He looked every bit miserable, no one would be surprised if they see tears on his face, relieved even. That way he didn't have everything bottled up like this. Though Tsuchiura has said that he didn't blame him, his burden looked as if it hadn't been lifted even a bit.

He didn't even try to muster his expression into something less miserable before looking at her eyes. What for? She had already known everything. Who he actually is, how pitiful his carefully-set up life turned,

"Come." he muttered while passing.

He drived her home, but said nothing. Hino too, can't come up with anything. Too afraid if she spoke something inappropriate. The situation was truly precarious.

The car shortly stopped in front of her house, breaking her from her musings. She didn't pay attention to the road ahead.

"Thank you." she prepared to open the passenger seat's door and take her violin on the back seat. But just one glimpse she stole on his face, her initial intention wavered.

His eyes were of the dead. It grew worse, even. He only looked ahead. Her hand hovered on the door handle, before she settled it on her lap.

"I'm not leaving." she announced.

* * *

><p><strong>So this is chapter 12. I remembered the first time I wrote this story is in 2009 (though I started publishing this in 2011). It's 2014 now, so it's almost 5 yrs . .Truthfully, I haven't even write the next chapter. How's this chapter? Please review<strong>


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